Replies

Baptist ping

This entire thread could have been summed up in a few little
verses:

John 14 6 Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me (and my mother)

AND
John 10:30
I and the Father and our mother are one.”

AND
1 Timothy 2:5
For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus,

That’s a whole lot of rationalization and explanations of why Mary should be elevated to that level.

Christ alone died for our sins and only God can forgive us for the sins that we commit against Him, just as forgiveness for anything has to come from the person sinned against.

Mary is not Deity. I did not sin against her, but against God. Only Jesus died for us. The forgiveness has to come from Him through that perfect sinless sacrifice.

This entire thread could be summer up in a few little verses:

John 14 6 Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me (and my mother)<

That's a very poor summary of the article. Doesn't even come close. Be honest -- you didn't read it.

The problem with your statements is that you assume the Catholic Church teaches us to worship Mary. But that is just not true. It is a common misunderstanding, but a big mistake.

The misunderstanding is based on the meaning of "veneration." You are talking about ADORATION, or worship. Yes, this is reserved for the Lord, as the Catholic Church agrees.

But veneration is a synonym for "honor." The 4th commandment says we are to honor our mother and father. In other words, we should venerate them, and by doing so, we not only take nothing away from the Lord, we please Him by obeying His commandments.

Mary is the Mother of Jesus Christ. We worship the Lord, and we venerate or honor His Mother, because, in imitation of Chirst, we obey the 4th commandment.

The Lord is pleased when we venerate Mary. It shows that we understand and obey His Commandments.

Also, note that the early church fathers, and even the Reformers, encouraged the veneration of Mary and believed in her virgin birth. It is thoroughly Biblical, as Scott Hahn's analysis demonstrates -- although his analysis here is just the tip of the iceberg.

I would like to make clear for those who do not know better, that the Catholic Church does not claim Mary to be the way to salvation. Only Christ can serve that role and function. See my earlier post clarifying the matter that the Lord, and not Mary is to be worshipped. But we honor Mary.

But there is one additional point I wish to make. Given the above, it is absolutely Biblical to ask for prayers and intercessions. Protestants on the subject of Mary, like to quote 1 Tim. 5, but read it in context.

"I urge then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone - for kings, for all those in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceful life in all godliness and holiness. This is good and pleases God our Saviour, who wants all men to be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth. For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man, Christ Jesus."
1Timothy 2:1-5

The Scriptures encourage requests, prayers, intercessions and thanksgiving. We pray for one another, as one Body in Christ, and Mary, just like anyone else, can pray and intercede for us.