Posted on 08/15/2013 7:03:11 PM PDT by annalex
Once a woman in the crowd surrounding Christ and His disciples cries out to Him:
Blessed is the womb that bore thee, and the paps that gave thee suck. (Luke 11:27)
What is it? We have, clearly, an act of venerating Mary. Note that the Blessed Virgin is venerated properly: not on her own but as the mother of Christ. Yet the reason for venerating is indeed concerning: it is her physiological and physiologically unique relationship with Jesus that is emphasized. That is not yet paganism with its crude theories of gods giving birth to other gods, but it is lacking proper focus and Jesus corrects it:
Yea rather, blessed are they who hear the word of God, and keep it. (Luke 11:28)
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| The Virgin with the Child on her knees and a prophet pointing at the star. Catacomb of Priscilla, late 2nd c. Source |
Having gotten past this linguistic hurdle, we can understand clearly what this passage, Luke 11:27-28, does: it establishes veneration of saints based not on their blood relation to Christ but on their obedience to God. It is in that sense that we venerate Our Lady: given that Christ is the Word of God personified, she heard and kept both Him in person as her Child and His teaching, figuratively. In Mary the essence of sainthood is seen in the flesh as well as in the mind. We could say that by the late second century at the latest, when we find evidence of the veneration of both the prophets and the Mother of God in the catacombs, the two reasons to venerate a saint: his martyrdom as in the case of Polycarp, or his obedience to the Word, as in Mary, -- unite into a single practice.
That is an important point. Someone also pointed out that when Jesus was referred to with Mary as in the following verses:
Mat 2:14 And he rose and took the child and his mother by night and departed to Egypt
If by "faith", you mean a system of beliefs, then you are off base about what Christians consider faith to be.
My faith is in God. It is trusting in Him.
Hebrews 11:1 Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.
John himself says that what he wrote is enough to bring someone to salvation. It's all about Jesus, not having your doctrinal ducks lined up in a row.
The gospel message is a simple one. Repent and believe.
Acts 16:29-34 29 And the jailer called for lights and rushed in, and trembling with fear he fell down before Paul and Silas. 30 Then he brought them out and said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” 31 And they said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.” 32 And they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all who were in his house. 33 And he took them the same hour of the night and washed their wounds; and he was baptized at once, he and all his family. 34 Then he brought them up into his house and set food before them. And he rejoiced along with his entire household that he had believed in God.
Acts 17:30-31 The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent, because he has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed; and of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead.”
Romans 10:9-13 ...... because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved. For the Scripture says, “Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame.” For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing his riches on all who call on him. For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”
Too many denominations make salvation way too complicated.
The Law was put in charge to lead us to Christ. It's by HIM we are saved. And actually, even the OT alone is enough to bring someone to Christ to be saved.
John 5:39-40 You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness about me, yet you refuse to come to me that you may have life.
“she is her own rule.”
Mary is not God. She is not her own rule.
What convoluted *reasoning* Catholics use to justify calling Mary something she is not.
If God has no beginning or end and Christ has no beginning or end, neither one of them can have a mother.
If Mary is the mother of God, then both God and Christ have a beginning.
And no way does Scripture call Mary *mother of God*. In Luke 1:43, Elizabeth calls her *mother of my Lord*.
Luke 1:43 And why is this granted to me that the mother of my Lord should come to me?
Your statement has been shown to be completely false.
Indeed, but what i was referring to was Rome, according to what she effectively does, and contrary to Scripture.
I understood what you were saying. It seems as if the Roman blinders hinders their comprehension.
They 'show' nothing of the sort!
Sorry; but the word is WILL; not can!
Sorry; but the word is WILL; not can!
Shhhhhh!
Any attention I can get these days...
But ANY mention of CALVIN seems to rile them more.
‘Rile’ is good; when it exposes the poor ability to do apologetics.
(See what I mean; D? ;^)
(See what I mean; D? ;^)
(See what I mean; D? ;^)
Poor Mom; dissed again.
MM; you’ll have to INSULT these folks so they WON’T ignore you!
Mary is dead and ain’t in Heaven.
Any proof otherwise WILL be duly inspected by LURKERS.
You believe what you say because someone else told you she is not.
You REALLY can't see the humor in this; can you?
Mary SURE is busy!!!
http://www.marypages.com/
I coagulate you on her blessed appearances!
Houston; we have a problem.
1 That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life;
2 (For the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and shew unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us;)
3 That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ.
4 And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full.
5 This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.
6 If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth:
7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.
8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
10 If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.
But... what if we just say that MARY never sinned???
Houston; we have a problem.
1 That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life;
2 (For the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and shew unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us;)
3 That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ.
4 And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full.
5 This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.
6 If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth:
7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.
8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
10 If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.
But... what if we just say that MARY never sinned???
"Jesus loves me, this I know
for the Church tells me so".
just doesn't have the same ring to it
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