Category Archives: Catholicism

Catholicism and the Veneration of Mary

Catholicism, Ecumenicism

                             

“For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus.”     1 Timothy 2:5

“For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:Not of works, lest any man should boast.” Ephesians 2:8-9

“And do not call anyone on earth ‘father,’ for you have one Father, and he is in heaven.”  Matthew 23:9

“And as Peter was coming in, Cornelius met him, and fell down at his feet, and worshipped him. But Peter took him up, saying, Stand up; I myself also am a man.”       Acts 10:25-26

12 “But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down on the right hand of God…14 For by one offering he hath perfected forever them that are sanctified.” Hebrews 10:12,14 (these two verses destroy the doctrine of transubstantiation and salvation by works. Jesus suffered ONCE, forever and that ONE offering sanctifies believers in his sight…forever)

 

It is interesting to see that many of the idolatrous doctrines and practices of the Catholic Church, including inordinate respect for Mary, extra-biblical mysticism, and veneration for the Pope, are leaching into the hearts of Protestants, especially those in charismatic and non-denominational congregations. I am surprised to see that these teachings, doctrines and practices are taking root with little to no scrutiny. Few seem to have even a minimal level of discernment regarding Satan’s brilliant plan to deceive the church by, among other things, weaving darkness and light together in a way that pleases the flesh and enriches and empowers those who lead.

For more than a millennium the Catholic Church has done everything in its power to obscure the knowledge of the real, biblical God from mankind. Not only did they nullify the saving biblical doctrine of justification by grace through faith (no works required), via their catechism and pronouncements(Council of Trent, Vatican 2), but for many centuries the church successfully kept the scriptures out of the hands of the commoner, and instead held the Bible, as translated by their biased scholars, hostage.Catholic Changes to the Bible

These “scriptures” were kept solely in the hands of the priests, who read and interpreted them as they pleased, subject only to Bishops and Popes. The Bibles used by the RCC were translated and interpreted in a way that supported traditional Catholic doctrine (which Erasmus exposed by showing the intentional mistranslations, favoring man-made catholic doctrine, that were contained in Jerome’s popular Latin vulgate) in order to allow the excesses (and deceptions) of the church to go unchallenged. These excesses, of course, centered primarily around maintaining their vise-like grip on power…and their desire to amass and horde riches..,as they preach wealth redistribution to the rest of us. The catholic church should start by disgorging their own outrageous wealth, and distributing it to the poor and to the victims of sexual abuse at the hands of it’s priests.

The Catholic Church was also highly successful in usurping the role of Jesus Christ, the Creator God, who was in the beginning and through whom all things were made, by replacing the One and Only, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End….with Popes, Bishops, and Priests, most of whom surround themselves with the same type of self-aggrandizing pomp that Jesus rebuked the Pharisees and Sadducees for having. Jesus called such men whitewashed tombs. Even prayer has been funneled away from God the Father and Jesus Christ, as the precious catholic flock is encouraged to pray to mother Mary and to many others whom they call “saints.”

The Church, in its desire for wealth and control, replaced the reality of a personal, intimate relationship with the Living God…with a Priest, a confessional booth, and a crucifix. While some certainly could stumble into communion with God despite the church, the catholic masses abdicated their role in establishing a close, personal relationship with God, and instead blindly accepted the church’s teaching, and chose to relate to God through many of the same lifeless formalities established by the Old Testament’s ecclesiastical leadership…which Jesus destroyed by his life of love, power, humility and truth.  I suggest that it is impossible to plausibly deny the hand of Satan in the many church practices, which take the minds, eyes and hearts of the people off of Jesus Christ, and instead turn them to idols.

The non-biblical Catholic doctrine forbidding priests from marrying has led to the rape and abuse of hundreds of thousands of women and children across the planet, embittering them to, and alienating them, from anything connected to religion or God, often forever. I have met some of those people. The primary purpose of this rule was almost certainly to avoid contentions over inheritance rights, which could of course, diminish the Churches precious real estate holdings and bank account balance. Clearly, the goals of the catholic Church have always centered around growing it’s wealth and extending it’s power rather than spreading the message of the love of Jesus Christ like a good shepherd to his precious flock.

Now more than ever, an inordinate focus on Mary, the mother of Jesus, is creeping into the Protestant Church. Non-Catholics are praying and lighting candles to her, and even look to her for help in times of trouble. There is only one mediator between man and God, and His name is Jesus Christ (1 Timothy 2:5). He was in the beginning with God, through Him all things were made, and without Him nothing was made that has been made. In Him is life and that life is the light of men (John 1:1-5). This great God chose to step off of His throne, and become flesh. In His sovereignty and mercy, in union with the Father and Spirit, He became flesh, and lived 33 years on this Earth. Then, in obedience to His Father, and of His own volition, he chose to suffer a brutal death as atonement for the sins of mankind once and for all. It. Is. Finished!

It is abundantly clear that Satan is doing everything he can in these last days to get the eyes of humanity, and especially believers, on anything other than Jesus Christ. Whether it is material possessions, signs and wonders, temporal power, relationships, or even veneration for previous generations of believers, Satan wants our hearts, our eyes, and our minds off of Jesus Christ. It seems clear that one of his newest tactics is to slowly move the catholic tradition of Mary worship, along with other Catholic mystic traditions, into Protestant circles.

Fortunately, for those who love and trust the word of God, and know that it alone is objective truth, there are answers from Jesus himself as to how his mother is to be viewed. Jesus addresses this issue directly in Luke 11:27-28, when a woman in a crowd said to Jesus, “Blessed is the woman who gave you birth and nursed you.” Jesus, rather than affirming her statement, or even in a small way agreeing with the blessedness of the human vessel that birthed Him, corrected her, because He knew that her heart was focused on the created rather than the Creator, who is forever to be praised. In response, Jesus said to the woman, not blessed is the virgin Mary, but rather, “blessed are those who hear the word of God and obey it.”

Another incident similar to the one mentioned above, occurred in Luke 8:20-21, when Jesus was told that His mother and brothers were looking for him outside the building where Jesus was ministering. In response to that statement, Jesus responded that his mother and brothers are those that hear the Word of God and obey it. There is not even a hint of special respect or honor for any member of His family in these two passages, because, like all men and women, his family members returned to dust. Jesus alone is the maker of all things(John 1:1-18), and He wants us to worship the eternal Creator rather than temporary created things which fade away like flowers in the sun (1 Peter 1:24-25). But…If we are going to worship a human, shouldn’t it be John the Baptist, since Jesus Himself says in Luke 7:28 that he is the greatest man born of woman? Yet, how silly would it be to light candles and pray to John the Baptist, a mere man – and a hairy one at that, rather than the everlasting God Himself, who is forever to be praised?

Clearly, Jesus loved His mother. He loved her so much, that even as He was dying, He made sure that she had someone to care for her all the days of her life. That person was the apostle John, the disciple whom Jesus loved. It is truly a beautiful portrait of Jesus’ heart to see Him reach out and care for His mother in the midst of His agony. There can be no doubt that she was precious to Him. The problem however, is not that Jesus loves his mother. Problems, in the eyes of the Living God, come when Mary is elevated to a demigod (co-redemtrix) and is worshiped and praised instead of or in conjunction with the one and only God.

Interestingly, pagan religions throughout history have often worshiped a “mother” god. Even in the Old testament, the Jews were warned by the prophet Jeremiah (Jeremiah 44), not to worship the so-called “queen of the universe” rather than the one and only God. In Catholic circles (and in catholic literature), Mary is commonly referred to as “queen of the universe.” There is even a Catholic Church in my home town called “Mary, Queen of the Universe”. The Egyptians worshiped Isis, as mother and “queen of the universe” and the Babylonians before them worshiped a universal “mother” god (Semiramis, wife of Nimrod) as well. Catholic symbols also replicate the symbols of the pagan god Dagon (the pope’s mitre hat), baal/ashteroth (the obelisk in St. Peter’s square), and Mithrian/Egyptian sun-worship symbology is featured prominently in the monstrance, church architecture, and on the formal dress of catholic clergy. These my friends, are not coincidences. Catholicism, sadly, with it’s required rituals, false teachings on salvation, and overt paen to paganism, is nothing more than the babylonian mystery religions renamed and repackaged.

Why is it so difficult for all of us to fix our eyes solely on Jesus Christ, the author and perfecter of our faith who, for the joy set before him, bore our sins in his broken body on a cold hard cross, scorning it’s shame and ultimately, sat down in glory at the right hand of the throne of God (Hebrews 12:3)? Perhaps it is the warm feeling we get by opening ourselves up to the angel of light through the quiet, deceptive stillness of the contemplative, or the deep emotional needs filled by the sweet and clever sounding lies of false religious practices and false “christian” teachings, which rely on the wisdom of men rather than the wisdom of God. The enemy is delighted to see how we so easily replace the one and only God with  created things that, like Satan himself, will soon burn away. Jesus Christ will never leave us or forsake us…and most importantly as we walk on this earth, His eternal word will never, ever lead us away from what is true and right. So let us all use the word and only the word to test and approve what God’s will is; His good, pleasing and perfect will (Romans 12:2b). If we use the sharp double-edged sword of the scriptures to divide truth from lies and to “test the spirits” of the practices and doctrines that are creeping into the church (and into our lives), then we, with the help of the Holy Spirit, will never, ever be led astray (Hebrews 4:12-13; 1 John 4:1).

 

10 Important differences between Christianity and Catholicism

Doctrinal Differences Between Catholics and Christians

Additional Doctrinal Problems, With Many Helpful Sub-Links

See, also Ecumenicism: Praying With People from Other Religions

The Written Word of God: What Did Jesus and the Apostles Say About it?

The Bible Version Controversy: a Brief History of the War for God’s Word

Ecumenism Part I: Jesus Christ, as He is in the word, is the only way to God

Catholicism, Ecumenicism, Evangelism: Do not Fear and do not be ashamed, The Word,

                                          ECUMENICISM: False Unity

22 “Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist, that denieth the Father and the Son.” 1 John 2:22

22″ …Happy is he that condemneth not himself in that thing which he alloweth.”

Romans 14:22

15 “And he said unto them, Ye are they which justify yourselves before men; but God knoweth your hearts: for that which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God.” Luke 16:15

4 “Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.” James 4:4

 

I have been troubled over the last few years as I have pondered the fact that many Christians are now praying with Jews and Muslims, tacitly implying that we are praying, to the same Father god. The more I read the New Testament and see how Paul and the Apostles preached Jesus Christ fearlessly, never watering down or compromising the truth to please man, the more this practice has grieved me. Would Elijah have prayed with the prophets of Baal or Paul with Pagan priests? No chance. As I have been scouring the New Testament for verses on love, holiness and obedience, I have stumbled across a few verses which address this issue directly. While on the surface it appears that we share the same Father God as the jews, John, the disciple whom Jesus loved, and the one to whom he entrusted his mother at death, disagrees…and in the strongest of terms. By rejecting the son, Jews are fully and completely rejecting the Father as well.

1 John 2:23, says that we, as believers have an anointing from the Holy One and know the truth – and that no lie comes from the truth. He then goes on to state,22 “Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist, that denieth the Father and the Son.23 Whosoever denieth the Son, the same hath not the Father: he that acknowledgeth the Son hath the Father also.” (see also, John 3:17-19, 35-36; 1 John 4:2-3; and 1 John 5, listed below).

Clearly, John is saying that non-messianic Jews, who strongly reject the message that Jesus is the Christ, are the antichrist (not the actual guy, but they have his spirit). Even on the surface our views of God the Father are vastly different. Our Father sent his precious son to preach love, holiness and obedience and then to die humbly and painfully on a cross as the atoning sacrifice for our sins. Jews believe that their God will send a powerful political leader to rescue them from persecution and to then rule world by force. They see the coming of the messiah as a temporal, political matter – not a matter of heart, thereby missing the entire message of both testaments. As Paul says, their minds were blinded…veiled to the truth, and that veil remains even today. (2 Corinthians 3:12-16).

So we, as believers, have to determine whether Peter and Paul, whom we are called to imitate, would pray with Jews on equal ground, pretending they are praying to the same God. My review of scripture tells me there is no chance. Instead, they would preach Jesus Christ to them with great strength and courage – unashamed and untempered by the fear of rejection or looking foolish. Paul was not ashamed of the gospel for he knew its saving power and he did not want men to go to hell. That was his only concern – eternity in the unquenchable fire of hell. He wasn’t worried at all about being accepted by men. He simply wanted to please the God who saved him and who loved him. He spent his post-conversion life spreading the good news of Jesus across the near-east, whether it meant imprisonment, floggings, starving, stoning or death. For he was looking to another kingdom – one which can never, ever be shaken.

At Mars Hill in Athens (Acts 17:16-34), Paul approached those who believed in other Gods – many of whom were highly respected philosophers – and boldly proclaimed Jesus Christ, with no concern about how he came across. He debated Jews across the Middle East – trying with great passion to show them that Jesus was the one spoken about by David and the prophets as the promised messiah. Peter did the same thing, and when the Jewish leaders arrested him for disobeying them he told them that he had to obey God rather than man, even though he knew his disobedience would lead to a brutal beating and eventually death as a martyr. He chose to please the one and only God rather than make friends with a world that will soon pass away.

Yet it seems that we all get caught in Satan’s trap of trying to gain the approval of those who are perishing, with no concern for their eternal destiny, while also tacitly denying or minimizing the truth of the One and Only God and his wonderful son Jesus Christ. In behaving this way, our hope seems to be that Jesus will be seen in our lives over time. But that is not the model Peter and Paul gave us, as they preached boldly and powerfully in the face of overwhelming opposition every where they went.

When I think about Christians praying with Muslims, it grieves my spirit even more. Not only do Muslims deny that Jesus is the Christ, thus making them antichrists per 1 John 2, but their holy book was inspired by Satan himself, which is obvious by it’s deeply heretical content, as well as it’s explicit denial that Jesus is God. How can we, as sons and daughters of the Living God, purchased by the blood of Jesus Christ, pray with them as if we are all talking to the same Father? 1 John 2 makes it clear that we cannot do so and honor God, and 2 Corinthians 6:14-18, emphasizes the same point as well. In that passage Paul says:“…for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?15 And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel?16 And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.17 Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you.” (See also, 1 Corinthians 10:21-22).

All of us should examine our actions, not by what the men before us have done, but by the unchanging scriptures which speak eternal words of truth from the One and Only God who doesn’t change like shifting shadows (James 1:17). These scriptures tell us that friendship with the world makes us enemies of God, and that if the world hated Jesus it will hate and reject us as well.(John 15:18-25; James 4:4-5, and 1 John 2:15-17). It says that all of us will suffer persecutions and trials for our faith. Paul embraced those trials and never ever watered down or minimized the gospel for the sake of relationships. He never put peace, friendships, comfort and worldly acceptance over the eternal truths of the gospel…and it cost him dearly. But he was willing to pay any price because he considered his present sufferings not worth comparing to the glory that he would receive in heaven when he comes face to face with the one and only God. May we also fight that good fight. May we finish the race – and most importantly may we all keep the faith.

****A few additional, excellent verses which specifically address this topic****

John 3:17-19  17 “For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.19 And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.”

John 3:35-36 35 “The Father loveth the Son, and hath given all things into his hand.36 He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.”

John 5:21-23  21 “For as the Father raiseth up the dead, and quickeneth them; even so the Son quickeneth whom he will.22 For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son:23 That all men should honour the Son, even as they honour the Father. He that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father which hath sent him.”

John 8:24 24 “I said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins: for if ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins.”

John 10:9 “I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.”

John 12:48  48 “He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day.”

John 14:6  “Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.”

John 17:3 “And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.”

Acts 4:10-12  10 “Be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by him doth this man stand here before you whole.11 This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which is become the head of the corner.12 Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.”

1 Timothy 4:16 “Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee.”

1 John 3:23  23 “And this is his commandment, That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment.”

1 John 4: 2-3  2 “Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God:3 And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.”

1 John 4:15   15 “Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God.”

1 John 5:1;5-7; 9-12  “Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God: and every one that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him…5 Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?6 This is he that came by water and blood, even Jesus Christ; not by water only, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit that beareth witness, because the Spirit is truth.7 For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one…9 If we receive the witness of men, the witness of God is greater: for this is the witness of God which he hath testified of his Son.10 He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself: he that believeth not God hath made him a liar; because he believeth not the record that God gave of his Son.11 And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.12 He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.”

2 John 1:7-11 7 “For many deceivers are entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist.8 Look to yourselves, that we lose not those things which we have wrought, but that we receive a full reward.9 Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son.10 If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed:11 For he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evil deeds.”

See, also Catholicism and the Worship of Mary and Ecumenism Part 2: Treason Against God