You’re going to like this one.

As you may know, the Roman Catholic Church is largely based around the use of local priests, to whom the parishioners go to confess their sins.  They are told that if they don’t regularly go to confession then they have no hope of obtaining God’s grace for heaven.

Well, because of the new isolation rules, due to Covid-19, Catholics can’t get to confession.  So, now the pope himself says that Catholics don’t need a priest.  Here is a YouTube picture of him speaking. (see https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IlbXjPE55Fc )

So, in reality, how important is it for Catholics to go to priests?  This is what is called “Situation Ethics”.  In other words, keep your convictions unless times get too tough, then set them aside and do what others are doing.

Daniel and his 3 friends were taken off to Babylon along with thousands of other Jews.  But when they were required to eat food and drink that was sacrificed to idols, they held to their convictions and refused.  When the king of Babylon set up a giant statue and commanded everyone to bow down, only Daniel’s 3 friends held to their convictions.  Each time, God honoured these men.

Born-again Christians do not need to go to a priest, because the Bible says they already ARE priests.  In Baptist churches, we refer to this as the Priesthood of the Believer.

1Peter 2:9 But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:

Now, the question for all born-again Christians is this: as a priest, are you interceding in prayer, daily, for the lost souls of men?