5. Anointing of the sick – This sacrament of the church is given to all church members who suffer from serious illness or infirmity. It can be given multiple times if needed. If a person is dying this ritual is known as the last rites. The belief is that this anointing completes our conformity to the death and resurrection of Christ. In other words, according to the church Christ’s work on the cross wasn’t good enough to save our souls completely so the church has to step in and complete the process to ensure we get to heaven. Without this anointing the church says we aren’t saved. God’s Word says Christ’s work on the cross is complete yet the tradition of the Roman catholic church says the just the opposite. Time after time the Catholic church has consistently established rules and rituals that are not only contrary to the clear message of God’s Word but also consistently disrespect our Lord and steal the honor and glory of Jesus for His atoning death on the cross for our sins. The Catholic clergy must understand they’ll one day stand before the Lord in judgment for their arrogance and pride in thinking they know better than God.
Philippians 3:8-9 – Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith.
The Catholic church catechism declares anointing of the sick is necessary for eternal life and can only be performed by a priest of the church. This is done to keep the members in bondage to the Catholic religion from birth right up to moment of death. This is simply another man-made doctrine that God neither initiated nor endorsed. According to the Bible this ritual is neither the “seed of eternal life” nor the “power of resurrection” as the catechism claims. This act is simply one more earthly good deed which the Bible proclaims to be useless.
Matthew 15:9 – (Jesus speaking) – And in vain they worship Me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.
Anointing of the sick is a ritual that is never taught in the Bible and that includes the last rites. No character in the Bible ever administered or received this ritual. Anointing of the sick is just one more man-made sacrament with rules to keep church members bound to the church by their fear of losing their salvation if they don’t comply with every church commandment. God makes the rules not men. Will you believe God or man?
Witnessing for Christ