Millions of Roman Catholics around the world elevate Mary. She has been given the role of a go-between, an advocate with God, on the behalf of mankind. She is implored to "Pray for us sinners, now, and in the hour of our death."
Lets take a look at this however, and see if this is biblical or not, as millions of souls are depending on her intercession for them.
We read in Exodus 20:3-5, and Deuteronomy 5:7-10, that to hold to any other gods other than the God revealed in scripture, is forbidden. We are not to make an idol or an image to worship or serve. there is one God only, and He deserves our worship, and only to Him are we to submit our lives in service. Where does this leave Mary, as she was human, and not divine? We see throughout scripture the unfolding of the trinity, or the fact that God exists as the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, but no where do we read that Mary is part of the Godhead. It is not "Father, Son, And Mary", as has been taught by some.
Mary is referred to as the Mother of God. In the sense of Jesus Christ taking on flesh, this would be true. However, Jesus existed as God from eternity past. He has always been, and always will be (John 1:1-3). He was never created, so to call Mary the mother of God would not be entirely true, in fact it implies that she is greater than God, that He proceeded from her. She was the willing handmaid (Luke 1:38) of the Lord, whom God chose to bear His Son, Jesus, when He became flesh (John 1:14). The word "Handmaid" describes someone who gave up their rights and plans for the will of God. It is used biblically of one who was surrendered to God, and lived out that surrender in their daily life. This is the exact opposite of the elevated view of Mary that many hold.
You will never find a scripture that supports the view that Mary is a mediator, or a co-redeemer. This is a grave error, that has led to the eternal loss of millions of souls throughout history. You cannot find the living (Jesus-eternal life) among the dead (through prayer to Mary, or any other "saint").
The Bible clearly teaches that Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life. There is no other way to the Father, but through Him (John 14:6). It is in vain that mere departed humans are implored for mercy. They have no ability to intercede with God on our behalf. This was the problem with the Levitical priesthood under the old covenant. The priests were subject to death, and had to be replaced. We are told that Christ lives forevermore to intercede for us (Hebrews 7:23-25). He is a perfect High Priest who is able to save to the uttermost those who come to HIM. He is our advocate (1 John 2:1). It is through Him we confess our sins, and find mercy. There is one God, and ONE mediator between God and men, The man Christ Jesus (1 Timothy 2:5). That is as plain and simple as it gets. Jesus is the only way, and it is through Him that we approach the Father. It is through Him that we can boldly come to the throne of grace to receive mercy and help in time of need (Heb 4:16).
All have sinned the Bible tells us (Romans 3:23). This includes Mary. She also needed a Savior. She recognized this fact when she said " My spirit hath rejoiced in God my Savior" (Luke 1:47). None of us have the ability to redeem another, including Mary. Jesus only was sinless, from birth, and throughout His life. He only has the ability to save. Salvation is not found in any other name. It was Jesus who gave His life on the cruel cross. He died for our sins, and was risen, that we too might be raised up in newness of life (Romans 6:4). Christ was conceived by the Holy Spirit, through Mary. She gave birth to Jesus so that He, as the God-man, could offer Himself for us. This is the extent of her involvement in the redemption of mankind.
There is no scriptural basis for any doctrine that declares Mary was sinless, or that she lives to intercede for us, or that she only is able to obtain mercy from Christ. These doctrines are only the traditions of men, and have no scriptural merit. If you desire mercy, it can only be found in Christ, nowhere else.
See also Mary Worship
Thursday, April 16, 2015
Saturday, April 11, 2015
You Can't Earn It.
There are those who feel as if they can somehow work their way into heaven. They believe that if they can begin to follow God's commands, they will become good enough to be accepted by God. They set about reforming their behavior. They give up bad habits, begin to be honest in their dealings with others, clean up their language, and many other things that they feel will gain the approval of God.
This of course is impossible. Those who attempt to earn God's favor receive some bad news in His word.
For as many as are of the works of the Law are under a curse; for it is written, "Cursed is everyone who does not abide by all things written in the book of the Law, to perform them."
Now that no one is justified by the Law before God is evident; for, "The righteous man shall live by faith."
However, the Law is not of faith; on the contrary, "He who practices them shall live by them."
Galatians 3:10-12 NASB
This is telling us that if we would be perfect, acceptable to God, by the works of the Law, we must follow it perfectly. This means that we cannot slip in even one small point, if we would desire to earn God's favor.
Perhaps an individual might decide to reform his or her life, and begin to flawlessly follow the commands of God. Even if they began to keep the Law, and never again disobeyed it, their past transgressions (breaking of the law), would condemn them. They are already lawbreakers, and no amount of good works performed by them, can atone for their sinful past.
Of course it soon becomes evident to all those who have ever attempted to earn their salvation through good works, that the reforms and resolutions that they have attempted, have always ended in failure. A sinful heart cannot produce good works. A man may do some good things, even make some remarkable changes in his life, but in and of himself, he does not have the heart or will to live a life for God's glory. The world is filled with individuals who have tried to quit drinking, smoking, cursing, and lusting. They can all attest to the fact that they ultimately fail in their attempts to clean up their lives. The problem is in the sinful heart of man. A sinful man cannot and will not submit to God and His Law (Romans8:7-8).
This is the problem; selfishness, man's desire to do things his way, in stubborn rejection of God. Yet somehow when feeling guilty, or fearing death, a man will try to make things right with God through works. Even his motives behind his reforms rise out of selfish ambition. Sinful man has no real desire to please God; he has no sense of sorrow over his sinful behavior. It is all about self preservation; avoiding the consequences of sin.
Ultimately, we are all under the curse of the Law (Gal 3:10). The law we have broken (and we have all broken it), only condemns us. It cannot justify us. The Law of God shows us the heart of God, that we would love Him, and love one another. Mere law cannot induce one to obey it, it only shows us what to do, and when we have disobeyed it, it shows us that we are sinners.
This of course is impossible. Those who attempt to earn God's favor receive some bad news in His word.
For as many as are of the works of the Law are under a curse; for it is written, "Cursed is everyone who does not abide by all things written in the book of the Law, to perform them."
Now that no one is justified by the Law before God is evident; for, "The righteous man shall live by faith."
However, the Law is not of faith; on the contrary, "He who practices them shall live by them."
Galatians 3:10-12 NASB
This is telling us that if we would be perfect, acceptable to God, by the works of the Law, we must follow it perfectly. This means that we cannot slip in even one small point, if we would desire to earn God's favor.
Perhaps an individual might decide to reform his or her life, and begin to flawlessly follow the commands of God. Even if they began to keep the Law, and never again disobeyed it, their past transgressions (breaking of the law), would condemn them. They are already lawbreakers, and no amount of good works performed by them, can atone for their sinful past.
Of course it soon becomes evident to all those who have ever attempted to earn their salvation through good works, that the reforms and resolutions that they have attempted, have always ended in failure. A sinful heart cannot produce good works. A man may do some good things, even make some remarkable changes in his life, but in and of himself, he does not have the heart or will to live a life for God's glory. The world is filled with individuals who have tried to quit drinking, smoking, cursing, and lusting. They can all attest to the fact that they ultimately fail in their attempts to clean up their lives. The problem is in the sinful heart of man. A sinful man cannot and will not submit to God and His Law (Romans8:7-8).
This is the problem; selfishness, man's desire to do things his way, in stubborn rejection of God. Yet somehow when feeling guilty, or fearing death, a man will try to make things right with God through works. Even his motives behind his reforms rise out of selfish ambition. Sinful man has no real desire to please God; he has no sense of sorrow over his sinful behavior. It is all about self preservation; avoiding the consequences of sin.
Ultimately, we are all under the curse of the Law (Gal 3:10). The law we have broken (and we have all broken it), only condemns us. It cannot justify us. The Law of God shows us the heart of God, that we would love Him, and love one another. Mere law cannot induce one to obey it, it only shows us what to do, and when we have disobeyed it, it shows us that we are sinners.
Tuesday, April 7, 2015
Christ Vindicated.
Who was declared to be the Son of God with power by the resurrection from the dead, according to the Spirit of holiness, Jesus Christ our Lord.
Romans 1:4 NASB
By common confession, great is the mystery of godliness:
He who was revealed in the flesh, was vindicated in the Spirit, seen by angels, proclaimed among the nations, believed on in the world, taken up in glory.
1 Timothy 3:16 NASB
The fact of Christ's resurrection gives great hope to those who have placed their trust in Jesus; for if Christ had not been raised from the dead, there would be no hope, we would all be lost, dead in sin (1 Cor 15:14, 17). This is good news. We can find salvation through Christ's offering of Himself on our behalf. He bore our sins, and the resurrection is proof that God has accepted that sacrifice.
There is another aspect to this as well, and it should cause us to carefully consider our lives in view of the teachings and claims of Jesus. You see, Jesus made claims that were either true, or else He was a liar or insane. For example He stated that "Before Abraham was, I am" , or, "I and the Father are one." By these statements He was declaring Himself to be equal with God (John 8:58, 10:30). Whenever He referred to God as His Father, or to Himself as the Son, He was affirming His deity (John 5:18). Once again, He was either lying, mad, or He was telling the truth.
Consider the statements He made about being the only way to the Father (John 14:6), of being the source of eternal life (John 6:40, 51, 8:36, 10:10). He has been vindicated by the resurrection. His words are true, there is no other way to God the Father, but through Him.
When He says we are to enter through the narrow gate and walk the narrow road to life, that is what we must do (Matt 7:13-14). He calls men to repent (Matt 4:17). If we are to be saved we must humble ourselves (Matt 18:3-4), how dare we cut out repentance from the message of the gospel. Jesus sets a high standard for discipleship. It will cost you everything. He calls us to lose all for His sake, and we ignore this to the peril of our souls (Matt 10:34-39; Mark 8:35-38; Luke 14:26-33; John 12:24-26). All these words spoken by Christ have been validated! They are the very words of the Son of God, and we must heed them if we would find life.
He warns us about false professions, telling us that not everyone who calls Him Lord will enter heaven. Only those who obey Him will enter (Matt 7:21-23). Our love and commitment to Him is shown by our obedience to His words (John 14:21-24). Everything that Christ has taught us in His word is true. He is the risen Son of God, and His resurrection justifies His words. Everything that Jesus taught concerning sin, the heart, hell, and the judgment is true, and should deeply concern us.
One day we will all stand before Him to be judged for the deeds we have done in this life.
Because He has fixed a day in which He will judge the world in righteousness through a Man whom He has appointed, having furnished proof to all men by raising Him from the dead.
Acts 17:31 NASB
The risen Christ will be our judge, and He will judge in righteousness. He will be perfectly just in His judgment. There will be no injustice, no bribes, no excuses. We have the opportunity now to put our trust in Christ; to turn from our sin, and surrender our lives to Him. Someday it will be too late.
Romans 1:4 NASB
By common confession, great is the mystery of godliness:
He who was revealed in the flesh, was vindicated in the Spirit, seen by angels, proclaimed among the nations, believed on in the world, taken up in glory.
1 Timothy 3:16 NASB
The fact of Christ's resurrection gives great hope to those who have placed their trust in Jesus; for if Christ had not been raised from the dead, there would be no hope, we would all be lost, dead in sin (1 Cor 15:14, 17). This is good news. We can find salvation through Christ's offering of Himself on our behalf. He bore our sins, and the resurrection is proof that God has accepted that sacrifice.
There is another aspect to this as well, and it should cause us to carefully consider our lives in view of the teachings and claims of Jesus. You see, Jesus made claims that were either true, or else He was a liar or insane. For example He stated that "Before Abraham was, I am" , or, "I and the Father are one." By these statements He was declaring Himself to be equal with God (John 8:58, 10:30). Whenever He referred to God as His Father, or to Himself as the Son, He was affirming His deity (John 5:18). Once again, He was either lying, mad, or He was telling the truth.
Consider the statements He made about being the only way to the Father (John 14:6), of being the source of eternal life (John 6:40, 51, 8:36, 10:10). He has been vindicated by the resurrection. His words are true, there is no other way to God the Father, but through Him.
When He says we are to enter through the narrow gate and walk the narrow road to life, that is what we must do (Matt 7:13-14). He calls men to repent (Matt 4:17). If we are to be saved we must humble ourselves (Matt 18:3-4), how dare we cut out repentance from the message of the gospel. Jesus sets a high standard for discipleship. It will cost you everything. He calls us to lose all for His sake, and we ignore this to the peril of our souls (Matt 10:34-39; Mark 8:35-38; Luke 14:26-33; John 12:24-26). All these words spoken by Christ have been validated! They are the very words of the Son of God, and we must heed them if we would find life.
He warns us about false professions, telling us that not everyone who calls Him Lord will enter heaven. Only those who obey Him will enter (Matt 7:21-23). Our love and commitment to Him is shown by our obedience to His words (John 14:21-24). Everything that Christ has taught us in His word is true. He is the risen Son of God, and His resurrection justifies His words. Everything that Jesus taught concerning sin, the heart, hell, and the judgment is true, and should deeply concern us.
One day we will all stand before Him to be judged for the deeds we have done in this life.
Because He has fixed a day in which He will judge the world in righteousness through a Man whom He has appointed, having furnished proof to all men by raising Him from the dead.
Acts 17:31 NASB
The risen Christ will be our judge, and He will judge in righteousness. He will be perfectly just in His judgment. There will be no injustice, no bribes, no excuses. We have the opportunity now to put our trust in Christ; to turn from our sin, and surrender our lives to Him. Someday it will be too late.
Saturday, April 4, 2015
Cleansed to Serve.
Millions of people are celebrating "Easter" this week. For many it is nothing more than another holiday, a great meal, family time, and Easter eggs for the kids. Others recognize that Jesus died and rose again in history, and view this time from a religious standpoint. They are careful to observe the religious traditions that have been passed down through the centuries. They go to holy week services, give things up for lent, and so on.
Sadly most miss the truth of Christ's death and resurrection. It is much more than a holiday to celebrate, or a religious tradition to observe.
And He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; for by His wounds you were healed.
1 Peter 2:24 NASB
For Christ also died for sins once for all, the just for the unjust, so that He might bring us to God, having been put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the Spirit.
1 Peter 3:18 NASB
Christ died for us, to bring us back into fellowship with God. A fellowship that has been broken by sin, our sin; the wicked things that we have done selfishly, in opposition to God (Romans 8:7). It is by His death for us that we find forgiveness for our sin, but not only forgiveness, but freedom from the power of sin itself. He bore our sins in His body on the tree so that we might turn from sin to righteousness!
Just as Christ suffered and died for us, we also are to determine in our hearts to live no longer for our sinful desires, but for God (1 Peter 4:1-2). Look at what the writer of Hebrews has to say,
How much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without blemish to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?
Hebrews 9:14 NASB
You see that Jesus died that we might have life, new life in Him. It involves mercy, the forgiveness of our sinful past, but it is a new life, a new creation, where the old sinful life is gone, and a new life is now begun; a life lived in obedience to Christ (2 Cor 5:17). This is the abundant life that God has always desired for us. It is what we were created to be, and now made possible through Christ's offering of Himself.
Sadly most miss the truth of Christ's death and resurrection. It is much more than a holiday to celebrate, or a religious tradition to observe.
And He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; for by His wounds you were healed.
1 Peter 2:24 NASB
For Christ also died for sins once for all, the just for the unjust, so that He might bring us to God, having been put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the Spirit.
1 Peter 3:18 NASB
Christ died for us, to bring us back into fellowship with God. A fellowship that has been broken by sin, our sin; the wicked things that we have done selfishly, in opposition to God (Romans 8:7). It is by His death for us that we find forgiveness for our sin, but not only forgiveness, but freedom from the power of sin itself. He bore our sins in His body on the tree so that we might turn from sin to righteousness!
Just as Christ suffered and died for us, we also are to determine in our hearts to live no longer for our sinful desires, but for God (1 Peter 4:1-2). Look at what the writer of Hebrews has to say,
How much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without blemish to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?
Hebrews 9:14 NASB
You see that Jesus died that we might have life, new life in Him. It involves mercy, the forgiveness of our sinful past, but it is a new life, a new creation, where the old sinful life is gone, and a new life is now begun; a life lived in obedience to Christ (2 Cor 5:17). This is the abundant life that God has always desired for us. It is what we were created to be, and now made possible through Christ's offering of Himself.
Wednesday, April 1, 2015
Keeping Up With the Jones'.
We see our neighbor get a new car, so we have to outdo them and get a nicer one. This goes for boats, rv's, houses, better jobs, and so on. It seems that there are large numbers of people who are driven by the desire to outdo their neighbor, at any and all cost.
We have some wise words from the book of Ecclesiastes that speak to this evil that is so prevalent in society today.
I have seen that every labor and every skill which is done is the result of rivalry between a man and his neighbor. This too is vanity and striving after wind.
Ecclesiastes 4:4 NASB
All of this flows from selfish ambition, the idea that life revolves around me. A selfish person is not happy for their neighbor when they experience good in their lives, instead they are filled with jealousy, and strive to outdo them. Such a person is always filled with discontent as they struggle to get one up on those around them. Solomon rightly states that it is meaningless, a striving after wind.
Jesus warns us about laying up earthly treasure. The things that we work so hard for in this life will one day perish. We cannot take our treasures with us out of this life. Our greedy pursuits only prove that our selfish hearts are tied up in "things", and are closed to Christ (Matt 6:19-21).
John warns us not to love the world,
Do not love the world nor the things in the world. If anyone love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes, and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world. The world is passing away, and also its lusts; but the one who does the will of God lives forever.
1 John 2:15-17 NASB
Jesus tells us that we cannot serve two masters (Matt 6:24). We read here that it is impossible to love the world and God at the same time. When we live to "keep up with the Jones'" we are serving the god of materialism; there is no real love for God abiding within us. This is nothing but pride, and it is the downfall of multitudes.
What about you, who do you serve?
We have some wise words from the book of Ecclesiastes that speak to this evil that is so prevalent in society today.
I have seen that every labor and every skill which is done is the result of rivalry between a man and his neighbor. This too is vanity and striving after wind.
Ecclesiastes 4:4 NASB
All of this flows from selfish ambition, the idea that life revolves around me. A selfish person is not happy for their neighbor when they experience good in their lives, instead they are filled with jealousy, and strive to outdo them. Such a person is always filled with discontent as they struggle to get one up on those around them. Solomon rightly states that it is meaningless, a striving after wind.
Jesus warns us about laying up earthly treasure. The things that we work so hard for in this life will one day perish. We cannot take our treasures with us out of this life. Our greedy pursuits only prove that our selfish hearts are tied up in "things", and are closed to Christ (Matt 6:19-21).
John warns us not to love the world,
Do not love the world nor the things in the world. If anyone love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes, and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world. The world is passing away, and also its lusts; but the one who does the will of God lives forever.
1 John 2:15-17 NASB
Jesus tells us that we cannot serve two masters (Matt 6:24). We read here that it is impossible to love the world and God at the same time. When we live to "keep up with the Jones'" we are serving the god of materialism; there is no real love for God abiding within us. This is nothing but pride, and it is the downfall of multitudes.
What about you, who do you serve?
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)