The Donatists v. Rome Were Both Wrong!

During the early days of King Hezekiah's reign, it was said that the Levites had to assist in the offerings at the temple, because the priests had not been diligent to sanctify themselves according to the law.

Israel depended upon the work of sanctified priests, and if there were no priests, there could be no offerings for their sin. How can a people be right before God if their priests be not sanctified?

This brings to mind the Donatist revolt against wicked priests during the early days of the Roman Catholic system. Because it had already embraced the false gospel of sacramentalism and baptismal regeneration, the Donatists concluded that the priests must be pure in order for the sacraments to save.

Like Israel, the Donatists were afraid that the baptism and the mass would not save if the priests were impure.

Because such ideas would undermine Rome's grip over "Christendom," Augustine argued that so long as the "priests" were properly ordained, apostolic succession ensured that their sacraments were valid.

When he could not convince the Donatists to accept men of unclean backgrounds as their priests, Augustine resorted to torture and murder, with the complicity of the state, to suppress the Donatist's "schism."

Thus, the Roman Catholic system early on rejected God's clear commandment that the priests must be holy before the offerings could be accepted by God.

But both factions were wrong about the sacrifice and the priest!

Our true High Priest is Jesus Christ Himself! He was sanctified by the Father, and was always completely holy and just.

The Sacrifice is His Body and Blood offered for sinners at Calvary! We have a sanctified High Priest!