Should we pray to Mary and the "saints"? Absolutely not!!!
This will cover why it is not scriptural to pray to Mary and other saints and even praying to the dead.
this will cover when certain rituals, items and additions added to the catholic church
Deliverance Prayers
Last will be how the catholic church came about.
To be blunt, when a person prays to Mary or any of the "saints," they are praying to the dead, which is necromancy. According to the Doubleday dictionary (Doubleday and Company, Inc. 1975), necromancy is defined as: "Divination using communication with the dead. Black magic; sorcery." By definition, seeking communication with the dead is equated with sorcery and black magic and is an abomination before God.
In the Old Testament, God had crowned Saul as the first earthly king of Israel. However, God took the kingdom of Israel from Saul and gave it to David because Saul disobeyed God's commandments and later destroyed Saul and his sons because he had sought to communicate with the spirit of the prophet Samuel, who had died shortly before.
Saul had sought an answer from the Lord concerning a battle that he was about to fight with the Philistines, and when the Lord wouldn't answer him, he said to his servants,
I SAMUEL 28:7
“7 Seek me a woman that hath a familiar spirit, that I may go to her, and enquire of her. And his servants said to him, 'Behold, there is a woman that hath a familiar spirit at Endor.”
Saul had previously driven the wizards and those who had familiar spirits out of the land by God's commandment,
LEVITICUS 20:27
“27 A man or a woman that has a familiar spirit, or that is a wizard, shall surely be put to death: they shall stone them with stones: Their blood shall be upon them.”
This was commanded by God to prevent demonic spirits from corrupting Israel as they had the Canaanite peoples before them. As such, Saul had to disguise himself when he went to the woman so that Israel wouldn't know what he was doing and so that the woman wouldn't hide for fear of him. She called up a demon disguised as Samuel (not Samuel himself) who foretold that Saul and his sons would be killed the following day by the Philistines, which indeed happened. The Bible records;
I SAMUEL 31:1-6
“1 Now the Philistines fought against Israel: and the men of Israel fled from before the Philistines, and fell down slain in mount Gilboa. 2 And the Philistines followed hard upon Saul and upon his sons; and the Philistines slew Jonathan, and Abinadab, and Malchishua, Saul's sons. 3 And the battle went sore against Saul, and the archers hit him; and he was sore wounded of the archers. 4 Then said Saul unto his armourbearer, Draw thy sword, and thrust me through therewith; lest these uncircumcised come and thrust me through, and abuse me. But his armourbearer would not; for he was sore afraid. Therefore Saul took a sword, and fell upon it. 5 And when his armourbearer saw that Saul was dead, he fell likewise upon his sword, and died with him. 6 So Saul died, and his three sons, and his armourbearer, and all his men, that same day together.”
There has been quite a bit of speculation as to whether the spirit that the witch called up was indeed Samuel or not, and the issue is put to rest in I Chronicles, which says,
I CHRONICLES. 10:13-14
“3 So Saul died for his transgression which he committed against the LORD, [even] against the word of the LORD, which he kept not, and also for asking [counsel] of [one that had] a familiar spirit, to enquire [of it]; 14 And enquired not of the LORD: therefore he slew him, and turned the kingdom unto David the son of Jesse.”
I underlined and italicized part of the text to show a point. Saul, seeking information from the dead prophet Samuel had instead enquired of a familiar spirit (a demon) NOT the spirit of Samuel. Saul was deceived in that both he and the witch thought that the demon WAS Samuel. God would not allow the spirit of Samuel to be called up by anyone living, especially a witch!
Manasseh, son of King Hezekiah, one of the worst rulers of Judah ever recorded in the Old Testament also dealt with wizards and a familiar spirit,
2 CHRONICLES. 33:6
“6 And he caused his children to pass through the fire in the valley of the son of Hinnom: also he observed times, and used enchantments, and used witchcraft, and dealt with a familiar spirit, and with wizards: he wrought much evil in the sight of the LORD, to provoke him to anger.”
God plainly states with these examples that if the living try to communicate with the dead, they communicate with familiar spirits, which is necromancy. The dead cannot communicate with us, neither can we communicate with them. And any such attempts to communicate with the dead is direct disobedience to God's commandment.
But isn't that an Old Testament law? Wasn't that taken away with the New Testament? Actually, no. Jesus said,
MATTHEW 5:18
“18 Until heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the Law until all be fulfilled.”
(Jots and tittles were marks used in the Hebrew language used to change the meaning of a letter or word.) The parts of the Law concerning sacrifice and ritual cleansing have been fulfilled since Jesus' death, but many parts of the old Law still hold true, as they have not been fulfilled yet.
Jesus reinforced the point of communication with the dead in the story of the rich man and Lazarus. Note: He never said it was a parable. It is a true story. The story goes like this;
LUKE 16: 19-31
“19 There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day: 20 And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores, 21 And desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man's table: moreover the dogs came and licked his sores. 22 And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried; 23 And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. 24 And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame. 25 But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented. 26 And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that [would come] from thence. 27 Then he said, I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldest send him to my father's house: 28 For I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment. 29 Abraham saith unto him, They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them. 30 And he said, Nay, father Abraham: but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent. 31 And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead.”
Here Jesus says plainly that the dead are not allowed to communicate with the living. In no place in Scripture does it ever say that the dead work on the behalf of the living for any reason. Nor does it state anywhere in Scripture that we should ever seek to the dead for help in anything. We seek to Jesus because He was dead but was resurrected and is alive forevermore and is Himself God. The dead to us however, are still dead and will be until Jesus resurrects them.
As the story of the rich man and Lazarus shows, the dead have no knowledge of what is happening to the living, and therefore cannot intercede for us in anything. Thus, as Abraham told the rich man, let the living hear the words of the Scriptures, rather than seek to the dead.
Even when Moses and Elijah appeared to Jesus on the mount of Transfiguration, they spoke to Jesus alone, not to Peter, James and John who were with Him. The Bible records,
LUKE 9:28-35
“28 And it came to pass about an eight days after these sayings, he took Peter and John and James, and went up into a mountain to pray. 29 And as he prayed, the fashion of his countenance was altered, and his raiment [was] white [and] glistering. 30 And, behold, there talked with him two men, which were Moses and Elias: 31 Who appeared in glory, and spake of his decease which he should accomplish at Jerusalem. 32 But Peter and they that were with him were heavy with sleep: and when they were awake, they saw his glory, and the two men that stood with him. 33 And it came to pass, as they departed from him, Peter said unto Jesus, Master, it is good for us to be here: and let us make three
tabernacles; one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias: not knowing what he said. 34 While he thus spake, there came a cloud, and overshadowed them: and they feared as they entered into the cloud. 35 And there came a voice out of the cloud, saying, This is my beloved Son: hear him.”
Here is an excellent case in point. Moses and Elijah, considered to be two of the reatest men in the Old Testament appeared to Jesus, speaking to Him about His coming death on the cross. The purpose of their appearance was to show Jesus to be the fulfillment of both the Law (Moses) and the Prophets (Elijah).
But note also, they only spoke to Jesus, not to the three frightened men who were with Him. And when Peter, apparently recognizing the two figures, wanted to erect tents of worship for Jesus, Moses and Elijah, God the Father told them to listen to Jesus, directing their attention to Him, rather than the persons of Moses and Elijah, who, even while appearing in glory, are still dead.
Scripture is abundantly clear on this issue. The dead do not communicate with the living, nor are the living to try communicate with the dead. Period! Any such attempts by the living to do so is in direct disobedience to God. And if you have prayed to Mary or the "saints," please repent before the Lord, confess your sins of necromancy and ignorance to Him. He is faithful and will forgive you. Ask Him to also cleanse and close any doorways into your spirit that Satan has gained access to by this sin. Then bind any demons in your life who have entered because of sin, and cast them out.
I cannot stress enough the importance of knowing Scripture! If you sin in ignorance, you are STILL accountable for that sin!
NUMBERS 15: 27-28
27 And if any soul sin through ignorance, then he shall bring a she goat of the first year for a sin offering. 28 And the priest shall make an atonement for the soul that sinneth ignorantly, when he sinneth by ignorance before the LORD, to make an atonement for him; and it shall be forgiven him.
Granted, we no longer have to sacrifice for our sins nor confess our sins to a priest as people did while under the Law, but we ARE still accountable for ignorant sins. For more on confession to a priest, please see the study on the question "Should I confess my sins to a priest?"
God gave us Scripture so we would know precisely what is right and wrong in His sight. And as we have the Scriptures readily available, we have no excuse before Him for not understanding what is right and wrong in His eyes.
Remember, we will not be judged before God by the traditions, rituals, and doctrines of the church, but from the Scriptures! And as I have said before, so I say again, if you cannot find Scriptural backing in context for a tradition or doctrine, you should be wary about teaching or following it!
There is no sin in asking your church leaders to provide Scriptural backing for doctrines of the church you are attending. But if they cannot support their doctrines from Scripture, in context, or they start talking about tradition, writings of the 'fathers', Magisterium (authority) of the church, or some such thing, I would be suspicious.
Too many churches fall into this error, coming under the condemnation
of;
MATTHEW 15:8-9
“8 This people draweth nigh to me with their mouth, and honoreth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me. 9 But in vain to they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.
Church leaders also are warned;
HOSEA 4:6a
“6a My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: therefore because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee......”
Add to this the fact that Jesus never glorified Mary nor directed the disciples to her for any reason. He instead directed all worship and glory either to the Father or Himself, which is proper. Man (or woman) is never to be worshipped, as man is not God, simple fact.
In fact, Jesus always used the term "woman" whenever He referred to Mary, so as to cause her to remember her place, and to show that she did not hold any special place higher than anyone else in His eyes. If we were to call our earthly mothers "woman" they would be highly insulted, and with good reason.
God Himself also set the rules for the place of women in the scope of things, when Scripture records;
GENESIS 3:16
“16 Unto the woman he said, I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception; in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children; and thy desire [shall be] to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee.”
The word "rule" used here is the Hebrew word "mashal", which means "have dominion, have power". Women were not to be accounted as rulers or have authority over men in a household.
Mary fully understood that she was a chosen vessel serving a purpose, and she was indeed honored and blessed that out of all of the millions of women of Israel, God had chosen her to be the vessel that gave birth to the physical body of the Messiah. But she also knew she was a sinner, as her own words attest;
LUKE 1:46-48
“46 And Mary said, My soul doth magnify the Lord, 47 and my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour. For he hath regarded the low estate of his handmaiden: 48 for, behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed.”
Mary understood that she needed a Savior just as much as any human. And while the Catholic Church teaches that Mary was born without sin (the Immaculate Conception) her own words refute this false doctrine!
And for those who may not believe that the Catholic Church supports this awful doctrine, here is a portion of the text of the papal Bull by Pope Pius IX regarding this teaching; "The doctrine that sustains that the most blessed virgin Mary was preserved immune from any stain of original sin in the first moment of her conception, by the singular grace and privilege of Almighty God, in foresight of the merits of Jesus Christ, Savior of the human race, this doctrine revealed by God should be firmly, and constantly believed by all the faithful." (Bull "Ineffabilis Deus" December 8, 1854)
Remember, this was an "infallible declaration" by an "infallible" Pope! Therefore all believers in the Catholic Church, including all subsequent Popes are required to believe this false doctrine.
Mary was born sinless? This doctrine was revealed by God? As we have already shown, Mary's own words refute this idea. Also when Jesus was born, Mary was ritually unclean because of the birth process. As Scripture records,
LEVITICUS 12: 1-8
:1 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 2 Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, If a woman have conceived seed, and born a man child: then she shall be unclean seven days; according to the days of the separation for her infirmity shall she be unclean. 3 And in the eighth day the flesh of his foreskin shall be circumcised. 4 And she shall then continue in the blood of her purifying three and thirty days; she shall touch no hallowed thing, nor come into the sanctuary, until the days of her purifying be fulfilled. 5 But if she bear a maid child, then she shall be unclean two weeks, as in her separation: and she shall continue in the blood of her purifying threescore and six days. 6 And when the days of her purifying are fulfilled, for a son, or for a daughter, she shall bring a lamb of the first year for a burnt offering, and a young pigeon, or a turtledove, for a sin offering, unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, unto the priest: 7 Who shall offer it before the LORD, and make an atonement for her; and she shall be cleansed from the issue of her blood. This [is] the law for her that hath born a male or a female. 8 And if she be not able to bring a lamb, then she shall bring two turtles, or two young pigeons; the one for the burnt offering, and the other for a sin offering: and the priest shall make an atonement for her, and she shall be clean.”
LUKE 2:22-24
22 And when the days of her purification according to the law of Moses were accomplished, they brought him to Jerusalem, to present [him] to the Lord; 23 (as it is written in the law of the Lord, Every male that openeth the womb shall be called holy to the Lord;) 24 and to offer a sacrifice according to that which is said in the law of the Lord, A pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons.”
Note what God Himself says here! Mary was unclean for 40 days after the birth of Jesus according to the Law of Moses. She was required to remain separate from everyone, was not allowed to touch any holy thing nor allowed to come into the sanctuary before the Lord until she had been cleansed of her sin of blood issue! And as Scripture records, Mary knew she was unclean according to God's word as written in the Law, and faithfully followed the requirements of Law concerning her cleansing and atonement for sin. Mary was a sinner, and knew it.
Also the fact is recorded in Scripture that she had at least four sons, and an unknown number of daughters, so she was unclean in sin after the birth of each one!
Mary also was born under the Law, which made her a sinner from birth, for the Scriptures state that all of the works of the Law were under the curse.
GALATIANS 3:10-12
“10 For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed [is] every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them. 11 But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, [it is] evident: for, The just shall live by faith. 12 And the law is not of faith: but, The man that doeth them shall live in them.” And;
GALATIANS 3:22
“22 But the scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe.”
The apostle John, who was commissioned by Jesus to care for Mary after His death, wrote the following Scripture, and it is reasonable to assume that Mary was still alive when he said;
I JOHN 1:8-10
“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.”
If Mary had been preserved from sin, John certainly would have excluded her from this Scripture!
And if Mary had been designated as worthy of worship, the apostle Paul would certainly have known about it. Yet he says;
I TIMOTHY 2:5-7
“5 For [there is] one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; 6 Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time. 7 Whereunto I am ordained a preacher, and an apostle, (I speak the truth in Christ, [and] lie not;) a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and verity.”
There is only ONE mediator between God and Man, and that is Jesus Christ. To say that anyone else is a mediator is to call Paul a liar, would make God's Scriptures false, and would demean Jesus' atoning death on the cross.
Peter, after healing a man lame from birth, when addressing a gathering crowd of Jews, was filled with the Holy Spirit, and boldly proclaimed;
ACTS 4:8-12
“8 Then Peter, filled with the Holy Ghost, said unto them, Ye rulers of the people, and elders of Israel, 9 If we this day be examined of the good deed done to the impotent man, by what means he is made whole; 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.”
Note Peter's own words in verse 12! The is NO OTHER NAME GIVEN AMONG MEN WHEREBY WE MIGHT BE SAVED. Jesus, and only Jesus has the power of salvation. There is no other.
Jesus Himself said;
MATTHEW 11:28-30
“28 Come unto me, all [ye] that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. 30 For my yoke [is] easy, and my burden is light.”
JOHN 6:37-40
“37 All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out. 38 For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me. 39 And this is the Father's will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day.
40 And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day.
Jesus says come to Me! He NEVER said to go to anyone else! Jesus is God's Man and Man's God. There is no other mediator ordained between God and Man as per Scripture! And the doctrine of Mary being a mediator between God and Man contradicts Scripture, and is therefore patently false, and was NOT revealed from God!
ROMANS 10:8-13
“8 But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, [even] in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach; 9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. 10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. S1For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. 12 For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. 13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”
The requirements of salvation are simple! Believe in Jesus, believe that God raised Him from the dead, confess Him before men, and you shall be saved. No mediators, no penance, no sacraments, no priests or popes required.
Answer me this. The Romans considered deceased Caesars as gods and prayed to them, and we condemn this as a pagan practice. And yet people pray to deceased "saints" and Mary, asking them to intercede with God for their requests. And as most dictionaries will tell you, prayers are offerings or requests made to a dity (god) or deities. Thus praying to
Mary or the saints makes them gods. Is that any different from the paganism of the Romans or many eastern religions which teach people to pray to their ancestors?
This also brings up an interesting point. If God says "No," to a request, do you think that anyone is going to change His mind? And if He says "no," shouldn't that be good enough for us? Are we wiser than He? Jesus never said we should take our prayers and requests to an intercessor. Jesus Himself said,
JOHN 14:13-14
13 And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14 If you ask anything in My name, I will do it.”
Nowhere did He say, "If you ask anything in Mary's name, or in the name of a saint or an apostle, I will do it." And sometimes God says no, and for good reason. He sees the end of a thing before it happens, and to protect us from harm will sometimes refuse our requests. We must be satisfied with that, believing that He is omniscient (all-knowing) and knows what He is doing.
But asking "saints" or Mary to intercede for us before the Throne is an insult to the Holy Spirit who DOES intercede for us, and infers that Mary and the "saints" have inside influence with God. The Scriptures plainly state that God is no respecter of persons; in other words all men and women are considered equally before Him, as the following scriptures show;
II CHRONICLES 19: 5-7
“5 And he set judges in the land throughout all the fenced cities of Judah, city by city, 6 And said to the judges, Take heed what ye do: for ye judge not for man, but for the LORD, who [is] with you in the judgment. 7 Wherefore now let the fear of the LORD be upon you; take heed and do [it]: for [there is] no iniquity with the LORD our God, nor respect of persons, nor taking of gifts.”
ROMANS 2:11
“11 For there is no respect of persons with God.”
EPHESIANS 6:9
“9 And, ye masters, do the same things unto them (your servants), forbearing threatening: knowing that your Master also is in heaven; neither is there respect of persons with him.”
I PETER 1:17a
17a And if ye call on the Father, who without respect of persons judgeth according to every man's work, pass the time of your sojourning [here] in fear:
If God is no respecter of persons, then Mary and the "saints" are no better in His eyes than anyone else. Jesus called Mary "woman", treating her with the same title as He did with the woman of Samaria who had had five husbands, and was living with a man who was not her husband, or the woman caught in the very act of adultery. In both cases He addressed the women as "woman". Mary was equal with any other sinful woman in Jesus' eyes.
Anyone who believes that Mary has inside influence with Jesus, should read the following Scripture;
MATTHEW 12:46-50
“46 While he yet talked to the people, behold, [his] mother and his brethren stood without, desiring to speak with him. 47 Then one said unto him, Behold, thy mother and thy brethren stand without, desiring to speak with thee. 48 But he answered and said unto him that told him, Who is my mother? and who are my brethren? 49 And he stretched forth his hand toward his disciples, and said, Behold my mother and my brethren! 50 For whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother.”
By that very statement, Jesus demonstrated the place of Mary in relation to all elievers. She was no different than any disciple; neither is she greater than any disciple in His eyes. Elevating Mary as co-redeemer and mediatrix makes her equal with God Himself, which is blasphemy. And to say that God singled her out to be free of original sin goes against His Scriptures, which state that ALL of mankind is sinful;
ROMANS 3:9-20
9 What then? are we better [than they]? No, in no wise: for we have before proved both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all under sin; 10 As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: 11 There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. 12 They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one. 13 Their throat [is] an open sepulchre; with their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps [is] under their lips: 14 Whose mouth [is] full of cursing and bitterness: 15 Their feet [are] swift to shed blood:
16 Destruction and misery [are] in their ways: 17 And the way of peace have they not known: 18 There is no fear of God before their eyes. 19 Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God. 20 Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law [is] the knowledge of sin.”
Paul wrote the above passage in Romans more than 20 years after Jesus' death and resurrection, and knew of no promise to Mary that she would be free of sin. Mary was born under the Law and followed the dictates of the Law, including those of sacrifice, which meant that according to the Law, and in the eyes of God, she was a sinner. And since we have seen that God is no respecter of persons, He could not have preserved Mary from sin from birth, for if He had He would have violated His own Scriptures, and made Himself a liar.
As far as intercession, Mary and the "saints" cannot intercede with God for us anyway, for as the author of Hebrews states,
HEBREWS 4:10
“10 For he who has entered into His rest has himself also ceased from his works as God did from His.” In other words, those who enter Heaven rest from working. Their time of
labor is finished. They no longer care or worry about what happens here on earth, but await the resurrection at the return of Jesus, the King of Kings.
God is also very explicit concerning others using their righteousness to intercede with Him when He spoke to the prophet Ezekiel;
EZEKIEL 14:12-20
“12 The word of the LORD came again to me, saying, 13 Son of man, when the land sinneth against me by trespassing grievously, then will I stretch out mine hand upon it, and will break the staff of the bread thereof, and will send famine upon it, and will cut off
man and beast from it: 14 Though these three men, Noah, Daniel, and Job, were in it, they
should deliver [but] their own souls by their righteousness, saith the Lord GOD. 15 If I cause noisome beasts to pass through the land, and they spoil it, so that it be desolate, that no man may pass through because of the beasts: 16 [Though] these three men [were] in it, [as] I live, saith the Lord GOD, they shall deliver neither sons nor daughters; they only shall be delivered, but the land shall be desolate. 17 Or [if] I bring a sword upon that land, and say, Sword, go through the land; so that I cut off man and beast from it:
18 Though these three men [were] in it, [as] I live, saith the Lord GOD, they shall deliver neither sons nor daughters, but they only shall be delivered themselves. 19 Or [if] I send a pestilence into that land, and pour out my fury upon it in blood, to cut off from it man and beast: 20 Though Noah, Daniel, and Job, [were] in it, [as] I live, saith the Lord GOD, they shall deliver neither son nor daughter; they shall [but]
deliver their own souls by their righteousness.”
Again, God is no respecter of persons. Period. And no one's righteousness can save anyone else. Ever!
In summary, praying to Mary or the "saints" is accounted as necromancy which is sorcery, and such practice is accounted as an abomination before God. And praying to the dead for intercession with God insults Jesus and the Holy Spirit, and is in direct disobedience to His commandments. Mary and the "saints" are not to be exalted as they were sinners as
much as we are, and not worthy of worship. Jesus nor the apostles never held Mary in any kind of reverence, nor do the Scriptures ever refer to her as anything but a woman chosen by God to bear the physical body of the Messiah. Her own words attest that she needed a savior as much as we.
Mary was a child of the Law, and as such was under the curse of the Law, which meant that she was as sinful as anyone else under the Law. And according to the Law, she was ritually unclean for 40 days after the birth of Jesus and all of her other children, and offered two turtledoves for the cleansing of her sin of blood issue for each one.
Jesus never held her in any higher respect than any of the other disciples and even used the term "woman" whenever He addressed her to show that she was not to be esteemed more than any other woman in history.
We will be judged by the commandments of Scripture, not by the commandments and doctrines of men, or the "Magisterium" of the church. And sinning in ignorance is no excuse before God. After all He gave us the Scriptures to show us what is pleasing in His sight.
And if we lack wisdom in understanding the Scriptures, the apostle James says,
JAMES 1:5-8 “5 If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all
[men] liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. 6 But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. 7 For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the
Lord. 8 A double minded man [is] unstable in all his ways. In other words, God will freely grant you wisdom if you ask Him in faith, and He will not rebuke (upbraid) you.”
But note that James says "ask of God", not of Mary or the "saints".
You who read this are now responsible for the truth of this matter. I have provided numerous Scriptures that forbid praying to the dead, and reasons why this is forbidden. I have also proven from Scripture that Mary was just as much a sinner as we are in God's eyes, and that no one can use their righteousness on behalf of another before God, as God is no respecter of persons.
The Catholic Church is rife with doctrines that are opposed to Scripture, which is why I challenge people to check doctrines of the church against Scripture. If there is no Scriptural backing, in context, then I would be very wary of it. Too many man-made doctrines are given the authority of Scriptural commandments, and following man-made doctrines will not grant you access to Heaven, no matter how pious or holy the teacher
of them may seem.
If you choose to reject what I have written here, I am free of your blood before God as I have written what He has instructed me to write. I take God's warning to Ezekiel very seriously, in which He said;
EZEKIEL 33: 8-19
“8 When I say unto the wicked, O wicked [man], thou shalt surely die; if thou dost not speak to warn the wicked from his way, that wicked [man] shall die in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at thine hand. 9 Nevertheless, if thou warn the wicked of his way to turn from it; if he do not turn from his way, he shall die in his iniquity; but thou hast delivered thy soul. 10 Therefore, O thou son of man, speak unto the house of Israel; Thus ye speak, saying, If our transgressions and our sins [be] upon us, and we pine away in them, how should we then live? 11 Say unto them, [As] I live, saith the Lord GOD, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live: turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways; for why will ye die, O house of Israel? 12 Therefore, thou son of man, say unto the children of thy people, The righteousness of the righteous shall not deliver him in the day of his transgression: as for the wickedness of the wicked, he shall not fall thereby in the day that he turneth from his wickedness; neither shall the righteous be able to live for his [righteousness] in the day that he sinneth. 13 When I shall say to the righteous, [that] he shall surely live; if he trust to his own righteousness, and commit iniquity, all his righteousnesses shall not be remembered; but for his iniquity that he hath committed, he shall die for it. 14 Again, when I say unto the wicked, Thou shalt surely die; if he turn from his sin, and do that which is lawful and right; 15 [If] the wicked restore the pledge, give again that he had robbed, walk in the statutes of life, without committing iniquity; he shall surely live, he shall not die. 16 None of his sins that he hath committed shall be mentioned unto him: he hath done that which is lawful and right; he shall surely live.
17 Yet the children of thy people say, The way of the Lord is not equal: but as for them, their way is not equal. 18 When the righteous turneth from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, he shall even die thereby. 19 But if the wicked turn from his wickedness, and do that which is lawful and right, he shall live thereby.
We have a responsibility to teach the truth to all who will listen. Jesus instructed those who would listen, and those who rejected His teachings will bear their judgement.
I sincerely pray in Jesus' name that the Father, His Son Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit whom He has sent will open the eyes of all who read these words and bring the light of truth into their hearts and that He will confirm that what I have written here is the truth. Do not pray to the dead for intercession with God, when you can go directly to Jesus Christ His Son who is Himself God. Remember His words!
JOHN 14:13-14
13 And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14 If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do [it]. Go to Jesus, the living God, not to the dead!
List of dates when traditions, rituals, and other practices entered the Roman Catholic Church that is not scriptural but put in place by man:
310 - OF ALL THE HUMAN TRADITIONS taught and practiced by the Roman Catholic Church, which are contrary to the Bible, the most ancient are the prayers for the dead and the sign of the Cross. Both began 300 years after Christ.
320 - Wax Candles introduced in church.
375 - Veneration of angels and dead saints.
394 - The Mass, as a daily celebration, adopted.
431 - The worship of Mary, the mother of Jesus, and the use of the term, "Mother of God", as applied to her, originated in the Council of Ephesus. The Mother of God" was a title given to Nimrod's mother well before Christ ever came. In fact, the priest's of Babylon wore a "costume" - if you will - that resembled a fish complete with the open mouthed head of a fish like head dress. It was a long flowing
garment that spanned form the wrist to the floor close to the feet.
500 - Priests began to dress differently from the laity. Look to the Bishops of today to see the same outfit. They also kept a feast to the goddess Ishtar in the spring during which such things as rabbits, crosses, crucifixes, eggs, and rosaries were used in this fertility rights ceremony, as she was the goddess of fertility.
To be fair though they are not the only Christian based religion that puts forth a counterfeit Christianity which is contrary to scripture.
593 - The doctrine of Purgatory was first established by Gregory the Great. The Latin language, as the language of prayer and worship in churches, was also imposed by Pope Gregory I. 600 years after Christ
The Word of God forbids praying and teaching in an unknown tongue. (I Cor. 14:9
).600 - The Bible teaches that we pray to God alone. In the primitive church never were prayers directed to Mary, or to dead saints. This practice began in the Roman Church.
(Matt. 11:28
; Luke 1:46; Acts 10:25-26; 14:14-18)610 - The Papacy is of pagan origin. The title of pope, or universal bishop, was first given to the bishop of Rome by the wicked emperor Phocas.
This he did to spite Bishop Ciriacus of Constantinople, who had justly excommunicated him for his having caused the assassination of his predecessor emperor Mauritius. Gregory 1, then bishop of Rome, refused the title, but his successor, Boniface III, first assumed title "pope."
Jesus did not appoint Peter to the headship of the apostles and forbade any such notion. (Lk. 22:24-26
; Eph. 1:22-23; Col. 1:18; I Cor. 3:11).Note:-- Nor is there any mention in Scripture, nor in history, that Peter ever was in Rome, much less that he was pope there for 25 years; Clement, 3rd bishop of Rome, remarks that there is no objective 1st century evidence that Peter ever was in Rome."
709 - The kissing of the Pope's feet
It had been a pagan custom to kiss the feet of emperors. The Word of God forbids such practices. (Read Acts 10:25-26
; Rev. 19:10; 22:9).750 - The Temporal power of the Popes
When Pepin, the usurper of the throne of France, descended into Italy, called by Pope Stephen II, to war against the Italian Lombards, he defeated them and gave the city of Rome and surrounding territory to the pope. Jesus expressly forbade such a thing, and He himself refused worldly kingship. (Read Matt. 4:8-9
; 20:25-26; John 18:38).788 - Worship of the cross, images, and relics was authorized
This was by order of Dowager Empress Irene of Constantinople, who first caused to pluck the eyes of her own son, Constantine VI, and then called a church council at the request of Hadrian I, pope of Rome at that time.
Such practice is called simply IDOLATRY in the Bible, and is severly condemned. (Read Ex. 20:4
; 3:17; Deut. 27:15; Psalm 115).850 - Holy Water, mixed with a pinch of salt and blessed by the priest, was authorized.
890 - The veneration of St. Joseph began
965 - The baptism of bells was instituted by Pope John XIV
995 - Canonization of dead saints, first by Pope John XV
Every believer and follower of Christ is called saint in the Bible. (Read Rom. 1:7
; I Col. 1:2).998 - Fasting on Fridays and during Lent were imposed.
Imposed by popes said to be interested in the commerce of fish. (Bull, or permit to eat meat), some authorities say, began in the year 700. This is against the plain teaching of the Bible. (Read Matt. 15:10
; I Cor. 10:25; I Tim. 4:1-3).The Mass was developed gradually as a sacrifice; attendance made obligatory in the 11th century.
The Bible teaches that the sacrifice of Christ was offered once and for all, and is not to be repeated, but only commemorated in the Lord's Supper. (Read Heb. 7:27
; 9:26-28; 10:10-14).1079 - The celibacy of the priesthood was decreed by Pope Hildebrand, Boniface VII
Jesus imposed no such rule, nor did any of the apostles. On the contrary, St. Peter was a married man, and St. Paul says that bishops were to have wife and children. (Read I Tim. 3:2
,5, and 12; Matt. 8:14-15).1090 - The Rosary, or prayer beads was introduced by Peter the Hermit, in the year 1090. Copied from Hindus and Mohammedans
The counting of prayers is a pagan practice and is expressly condemned by Christ. (Matt. 6:5-13
).1184 - The Inquisition of heretics was instituted by the Council of Verona in the year 1184. Jesus never taught the use of force to spread His religion
1190 - The sale of Indulgences, commonly regarded as a purchase of forgiveness and a permit to indulge in sin.
Christianity, as taught in the Bible, condemns such a traffic and it was the protest against this traffic that brought on the Protestant Reformation in the 16th century.
1215 - The dogma of Transubstantiation was decreed by Pope Innocent III in the year
By this doctrine, the priest pretends to perform a daily miracle by changing a wafer into the body of Christ, and then he pretends to eat Him alive in the presence of his people during Mass. The Bible condemns such absurdities; for the Lord's Supper is simply a memorial of the sacrifice of Christ. The spiritual presence of Christ is implied in the Lord's Supper. (Read Luke 22:19-20
; John 6:35; I Cor. 11:26).1215 - Confession of sin to the priest at least once a year was instituted by Pope Innocent III. in the Lateran Council
The Bible commands us to confess our sins directly to God. (Read Psa. 51:1-10
; Luke 7:48; 15:21; I John 1:8-9).1220 - The adoration of the wafer (Host), was decreed by Pope Honorius
So the Roman Church worships a God made by human hands. This is plain idolatry and absolutely contrary to the spirit of the Gospel. (Read John 4:24
).1229 - The BIble forbidden to laymen and placed in the Index of forbidden books by the Council of Valencia
Jesus commanded that the Scriptures should be read by all. (John 5:39
; I Tim. 3:15-17).1287 - The Scapular was invented by Simon Stock, and English monk
It is a piece of brown cloth, with the picture of the Virgin and supposed to contain supernatural virtue to protect those who wear it from all dangers on naked skin. This is fetishism.
1414 - The Roman Church forbade the cup to the laity by instituting the communion of one kind in the Council of Constance
The Bible commands us to celebrate the Lord's Supper with unleavened bread and the fruit of the vine. (Read Matt. 26:27
; I Cor. 11:26-29).1439 - The doctrine of Purgatory was proclaimed as a dogma of faith by the Council of Florence
There is not one word in the Bible that would teach the purgatory of priests. The blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth us from all sins. (Read I John 1:7-9
; 2:1-2; John 5:24; Rom. 8:1).1439 - The doctrine of 7 Sacraments affirmed
The Bible says Christ instituted only two ordinances, Baptism and the Lord's Supper. (Read Matt. 28: 19-20
; 26:26-28).1508 - The Ave Maria, part of the last
It was completed 50 years afterward and finally approved by Pope Sixtus V at the end of the 16th century.
1545 - The Council of Trent, held in the year 1545, declared that Tradition is of equal authority with the Bible
By tradition is meant human teachings. The Pharisees believed the same way, and Jesus bitterly condemned them, for by teaching human tradition, they nullified the commandments of God. (Read Mark 7:7-13
; Col. 2:8; Rev. 22:18).1546 - The apocryphal books were added to the Bible also by the Council of Trent
These books were not recognized as canonical by the Jewish Church. (See Rev. 22:8-9
).1560 - The Creed of Pope Pius IV was imposed as the official creed 1560 years after Christ and the apostles
True Christians retain the Holy Scriptures as their creed. Hence their creed is 1500 years older than the creed of Roman Catholics. (Read Gal. 1:8
).1834 - The Immaculate Conception of the Virgin Mary was proclaimed by Pope Pius IX
The Bible states that all men, with the sole exception of Christ, are sinners. Mary herself had a need of a Savior. (Read Rom. 3:23
; 5:12; Psa. 51:5; Luke 1:30,46,47).1870 - In the year 1870, after Christ, Pope Pius IX proclaimed the dogma of Papal Infallibility
This is a blasphemy and the sign of the apostasy and of the anti-christ predicted by St. Paul. (Read II Thess. 2:2-12
; Rev. 17:1-9; 13:5-8,18).Many Bible students see the number of the beast (Rev. 13:18
), 666 in the Roman letters of the Pope's title: "VICARIVS FILII DEI." -- V-5, I-1; C-100, I-1; V-S, I-1; L-50, I-1; I-1; D-500, I-l -- Total, 666.1907 - Pope Plus X, in the year 1907, condemned, together with "Modernism", all the discoveries of modern science which are not approved by the Church
Pius IX had done the same thing in the Syllabus of 1864.
1930 - In the year 1930, Pius XI condemned the Public Schools
1931 - In the year 1931, the same pope, Pius XI, reaffirmed the doctrine that Mary is "the Mother of God"
This doctrine was first invented by the Council of Ephesus in the year 431. This is a heresy contrary to Mary's own words. (Read Luke 1:46-49
; John 2: l-5).1950 - In 1950, the last dogma, the Assumption of the Virgin Mary, was proclaimed by Pope Pins XII.
CONCLUSION
What will be the next invention? The Roman Church says it never changes; yet, it has done nothing else but invent new doctrines which are contrary to the Bible, and has practiced rites and ceremonies taken bodily from paganism. Some scholars have found that 75% of the rites and ceremonies of the Roman Church are of pagan origin.
Note:-- Cardinal Newman, in his book, "The Development of the Christian Religion," admits that ... "Temples, incense, oil lamps, votive offerings, holy water, holidays and season of devotions, processions, blessing of fields, sacerdotal vestments, the tonsure (of priests and monks and nuns), images ... are all of pagan origin..."
HERESIES are those doctrines and practices which are contrary to the Bible. They are also called "human traditions" or "doctrines of men." Both Peter and Paul predicted and warned that in the later times "false teachers" would rise within the Church and bring in "damnable heresies" and "doctrines of devils". (Read II Peter 2:1-3
, and I Tim. 3:2-5). Jesus rebuked the Pharisees, for they transgressed the commandments of God by keeping their traditions. "in vain," He said, "they worship me by keeping for doctrines the commandments of men" (Matt. 15:3,9).The actual heretics, therefore, are the Roman Catholics, and the faithful orthodox are the Evangelical Christians.
It is not commanded nor even suggested that we should celebrate His birth nor is the date of His birth given. Surely if God wanted us to keep it as an observance He would've told us when it was. Then there is the keeping as a memorial of the resurrection of Christ from the dead, again it is not admonished that we do so.
What is taught by Christ is to celebrate His death, which is the purpose for which He came! He Himself observed it, even to the end/death for what was the so called "Last Supper", it was Passover! This He commanded to be kept in Ex.12:1-6
. These verses point to the "Lamb of God who takes away the world's sins." They show precisely when He would be killed, even who would do it. No, you needn't think it an attack on the RCC, most all of Christendom is guilty of the same!BRETHREN! The Word of God commands us to get out of Babylon, saying: "Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues." (Rev. 18:4
). All true Christians will remain faithful to the religion of Christ as taught in the Bible, and heed the warning of the Apostle Paul, who said: "But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other Gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed." (Gal. 1:8).Deliverance from being involved with the Catholic Church
First – clean house - Cleaning Your House - The first requirement for the Christian being DELIVERED is for him to remove from his house (or his room if it is not his house) all Catholic objects, symbols, medals, statues, pictures, holy cards, Catholic bibles, rosaries, crucifixes, missals, Catholic hymn books, relics, votive candles, shrines, sentimental Catholic mementos, etc. If an object is not his to remove, the person can anoint it with oil and bind its powers from him. If the person does not clean his house, DELIVERANCE will be only partial at best, because these things give legal grounds for demons to stay.
Renunciation of Catholic Church - We have found that people who are not yet ready to give up ties to Catholicism, but are willing to be DELIVERED in other areas, can receive some DELIVERANCE. However, for DELIVERANCE to be most effective, a sincere renunciation of the Catholic system is necessary. An example of such a prayer is the following: Heavenly Father, I renounce and repent of my participation in the (Roman, Greek or Russian) Catholic institution. I cancel the effects of all promises made to, oaths taken and rituals performed in the Catholic system by me, my parents, my husband/wife and their ancestors on both sides of the family. I renounce and cancel my allegiance to the Pope as head of The One True Church and to the Vatican as the Holy See. I renounce all false doctrines of the Catholic system:
1. The false doctrine that Mary is our mediator between man and God rather than His Son, JESUS - the Bible says in I Tim. 2:5
, "For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man CHRIST JESUS." Also see John 14:6. 2. The false doctrine which glorifies Mary more than CHRIST - the Bible says in Acts 4:12
, "Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under Heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved." Also, in Eph. 1:21, "His Name is above every other Name, not only in this world but also in that which is to come." 3. The false doctrine that makes Mary the Gate to Heaven instead of CHRIST - the Bible says in Jn. 10:1
,7,9, "Verily, verily, I say unto you, he that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber...Then said JESUS unto them again, verily, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep...I am the door: by me, if any man enters in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture." In Jn. 14:6 "JESUS saith unto him; I am the way, and the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me." Also see Acts 4:12. 4. The false doctrine which gives Mary the power of CHRIST - the Bible says in Phil. 2:9-10
. "Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: that at the name of JESUS every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth." Also in Heb. 7:25, "Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them." 5. The false doctrine of praying to the dead - the Bible says in Deut. 18:10-11
, "There shall not be found among you any one that maketh his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, or that useth divination, or an observer of times, or an enchanter, or a witch, or a charmer, or a consulter with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer." (A necromancer talks to the dead.) Verse 12 says, "For all that do these things are an abomination unto the Lord:..." 6. The false doctrine of salvation through works - the Bible says in Eph. 2:8-9
, "For by grace are ye save through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: not of works, lest any man should boast." 7. The false doctrine of praying to angels - the Bible says in Col. 2:18
, "Let no one disqualify you, insisting on self-abasement and worship of angels, taking his stand on visions, puffed up without reason by his sensuous mind..." And in Rev. 22:8-9, "And I John saw these things, and heard them. And when I had heard and seen, I fell down to worship before the feet of the angel which shewed me these things. Then saith he unto me, see thou do it not: for I am thy fellow servant, and of thy brethren the prophets, and of them which keep the saying of this book: worship God." 8. I renounce and repent of all these false doctrines and all of the other false doctrines of the Catholic system, in the Name of JESUS CHRIST."
Breaking Curses And Soul Ties - At this point, it would be a good idea to pray the Soul Restoration Prayer if it has not been done so during this DELIVERANCE session. Then the person being DELIVERED can continue:
1. I break curses put upon me and my family by the Knights of Columbus or any other Catholic society. I cut all ties and holds between me and the strong man, Jezebel, Queen of Kingdoms, and the Great Harlot.
2. I declare to be broken any bonds, ties, or bindings that hold me to the Catholic system because of my Water Baptism, First Holy Communion, confirmation rituals, marriage vows or sacraments.
3. I break evil soul ties between me and the saints for which I was named. (Catholic people can be DELIVERED of evil spirits that are called by the person's specific baptismal and confirmation names. Call these spirits out using the saint's names and expect a manifestation, specifically, on each name.)
4. I break evil soul ties between me and the saints to which I have prayed. (Call out these evil spirits, using the saint's names.)
5. I repent of bringing Catholic statues or other abominable things into my home, as they come under the category of idols and accursed things. I have removed them from my person, home, car, and place of work. (Call out spirits from the person because they had these things. Example: "Any spirits that came in because of these things in the house of (name the person) must come out.")
6. I repent of Baal worship, which is one of the ancestors of the Catholic system. (Call out spirits of Baal, Priests of Baal, Shedding Innocent Blood, Ashtaroth, goddess - mother and wife of Baal, etc.)
7. I repent of idolatry, worship of statues, veneration of statues and relics, and possession of same. (Call out spirits by these names.)
8. I repent of calling priests, Father, for Mat. 23:9
says, And call no man your father upon the earth; for one is your Father, which is in heaven. (Call out evil spirits having priest's names.) 9. I break all evil soul ties with all priests and nuns with whom I have had contact or have held in high admiration. (Name the ones the Holy Spirit brings to remembrance and call spirits out by these names. Also, call out Fear of Priest and Nuns. If the person wanted to become or did become a nun, call out False Bride of CHRIST and Bride of Satan. Call out Guilt if the person felt they should have been a nun or priest but didn't become one. Also, call out Guilt For Leaving The Mother Church.)
10. I renounce praying to Mary and break all curses on me because of this. I cancel any dedication to Mary which may have been done in my behalf. (Call out spirits of Mary from the following: Madonna, Holy Mary, Our Lady, Notre Dame, Mother of God, Dei Mater, Deipara, Theotokos, Mater Dolorosa, The Sorrowful Mother, Queen of Heaven, Regina Coeli, Queen of Angels, Regina Angelorum, Star of the Sea, Stella Maris, The Virgin, The Blessed Virgin, The Black Virgin, Sacred heart of Mary, Hail Mary, Lady of Lourdes, Lady of Fatima, Lady of the Snows, (Other Ladies), The Virgin Mary, The Virgin Mother, Sancta Virgo Virginum, Holy Virgin of Virgins; Virgo Sponsa Dei, Virgin Bride of the Lord, Virgo Clemens, Virgin Most Merciful, Virgo Gloriosa, Virgin Most Glorious, Virgo Potens, Virgin Most Powerful, Virgo Praedicanda, Virgin Most Renowned, Virgo Sapientissima, Virgin Most Wise, Virgo Veneranda, Virgin Most Venerable, Hortus Clusus, Immaculate Conception, Mariology, Mariolatry, Queen of Peace, Queen of Righteousness, Queen of Martyrs, Mother Mary, Queen of Hell, Sovereign Mistress of the Devils, Fayy Fatima-Vexxa Myya (creates a very deep loyalty to Mary), Mariology, Mary Worship, Loyalty to the Church of Mary to the Death (occult in nature and practice), Sodality Fellowships (solidarity in Mary), Mary Seed of Wisdom.
11. I repent of the sins of my fathers during the Inquisition in Europe from 1200-1800 A.D. when millions of people were tortured, maimed, and killed as heretics because they owned Bibles and obeyed what was in the Bible instead of the church tradition. As the Catholic system has never repented of this, I do so now. I renounce these actions as sin and repent for myself and my family. (Call out spirits of Mental Torment, Murder, Burning, Torture, and all kinds of Infirmities.)
12. I break the curse of Jesuit intrigue and deceit over me; CHRIST became a curse for me. I renounce and repent of any association of myself, my parents, or ancestors (or husband/wife) back on both sides of the family from the beginning of the organization of the Jesuit Order. (Call out spirits of Political Intrigue, Lying, Religious Lying, Pieytheas, Deceit, Subterfuge, Treason, Manipulation, Murder, etc.)
13. I renounce and repent of saying, 'I was born a Catholic and I'll die a Catholic!' I break that curse and call out a Spirit of Death. We do all this in the Name of JESUS CHRIST. (Call out spirits of Death, which can include Death and Hades, Osmodeus, Appolyon, Premature Death, Death by Overdose, Death by Terminal Illness, Death by Accident, Death by Drowning, etc. Also, call out Destruction Spirits and Promises to Saints and Mary.)
Break the vow of poverty.
Loose spirits of Truth, DELIVERANCE, Adoption, Counsel, Might, Wisdom, Understanding, and Revelation Knowledge of the Word, life, etc., upon the person DELIVERED. (I Isa.11:2
)How the Catholic church Came about
Christian or Pagan?
The Roman Catholic Church, headquartered in Rome, Italy, has its own
powerful City-State, the Vatican, and claims over 968 million members
worldwide, 60 million in the U.S. and Canada (as of 1996). (Catholic
membership figures are considerably misleading, though, in that they
count as members every person who has been baptized Catholic, including
millions of people who were baptized as infants but who are not practicing
Catholics.) The Roman Catholic Church, in its pagan form, unofficially
came into being in 312 A.D., at the time of the so-called "miraculous
conversion" to Christianity of the Roman Emperor Constantine. Although Christianity
was not made the official religion of the Roman Empire until the edicts of
Theodosius I in 380 and 381 A.D., Constantine, from 312 A.D. until his
death in 337, was engaged in the process of simultaneously building pagan
temples and Christian churches and was slowly turning over the reigns of his
pagan priesthood to the Bishop of Rome. However, the family of Constantine
did not give up the last vestige of his priesthood until after the
the disintegration of the Roman Empire -- that is the title the emperors bore as heads of the pagan priesthood -- Pontifex Maximus -- a title which the popes would
inherit. (The popes also inherited Constantine's titles as the self-appointed civil head of the church -- Vicar of Christ and Bishop of Bishops.)
Before the time of Constantine's "conversion," Christians were persecuted
not so much for their profession of faith in Christ but because they would
not include pagan deities in their faith as well. Then, with Constantine's
emphasis on making his new-found Christianity palatable to the heathen
in the Empire, the "Christianization" of these pagan deities was facilitated.
For example, pagan rituals and idols gradually took on Christian meanings
and names and were incorporated into "Christian" worship (e.g., "saints."
replaced the cult of pagan gods in both worship and as patrons of cities;
mother/son statues were renamed Mary and Jesus, etc.), and pagan holidays
were reclassified as Christian holy days (e.g., the Roman Lupercalia and the
feast of purification of Isis became the Feast of the Nativity; the Saturnalia celebrations were replaced by Christmas
an ancient festival of the dead was replaced by All Souls Day, rededicated
to Christian heroes [now Halloween: http://www.rapidnet.com/~jbeard/bdm/Psychology/hallow/> ]; etc.).
A transition had occurred -- instead of being persecuted for failure to
worship pagan deities, Christians who disagreed with the particular
orthodoxy backed by the Emperor were now persecuted in the name of
Christ! "Christianized" Rome had become the legitimate successor of pagan Rome!
This is the sad origin of the Roman Catholic Church.
Below are the highlights of what Catholics believe concerning their
source of authority; God, Christ, and Mary; salvation and the sacraments; and
heaven and hell. So much more could be said concerning not only the
items listed below, but also concerning other areas of Catholic teaching
(such as the claims of the Roman priesthood and its supposed origin in the
Apostles; the nature of the pope's alleged infallibility and the supposed origin
of his office in the Apostle Peter; the nature of the Confessional, the
doctrine of penance/indulgences; practices concerning rituals, ceremonies,
and relics; the doctrine of Celibacy; policies on marriage and divorce;
the role of the parochial school, etc.). Excellent reference sources for a
thorough treatment of Catholicism's origins, beliefs, and practices would be
Roman Catholicism (466 ppgs.) and A Woman Rides the Beast (544 ppgs.).
1. Source of Authority. Concerning the Bible, Catholics accept the
apocryphal books in addition to the 66 books of the Protestant Bible.
They also accept tradition and the teaching of the Catholic Church as
authoritative and at least equal to that of the Bible (cf. Mk. 7:8
,9,13;Matt. 15:3
,6,9; Col. 2:8). Concerning papal infallibility, Catholicsbelieve that ecumenical councils of bishops and the pope are immune from
error when speaking ex-cathedra about faith and morals (i.e., "from the
chair" -- by sole virtue of position or the exercise of an office).
(And by "infallible," Catholics mean much more than merely a simple, de facto
absence of error -- it is positive perfection, ruling out the
possibility of error. For more on infallibility, see notes on Vatican II below
i.e., it teaches that the Roman Catholic Church produced the Bible and
that the pope is Christ's vicar on earth. Catholics also maintain the belief
in sacerdotalism -- that an ordained Catholic priest has the power to
forgive sins (cf. 1 Tim. 2:5
). 2. Jesus Christ. Catholicism teaches that Christ is God, but they, nevertheless, do not believe that Christ's death paid the full penalty for sin; i.e., they think that those who qualify for heaven must still spend time in purgatory to atone for sin (cf. Jn. 19: 30
; Heb. 10:11,12).3. Mary. The Catholic Church gives honor and
adoration to Mary that the Scriptures do not; she is readily referred to as
"holy," the "Mother of God," and has been dubbed the "Co-Redemptrix," thereby
making her an object of idolatrous worship (e.g., the rosary has ten prayers
to Mary for each two directed to God). In 1923, Pope Pius XI sanctioned
Pope Benedict XV's (1914-1922) pronouncement that Mary suffered with Christ,
and that with Him, she redeemed the human race. And Pope Pius XII officially
designated Mary as the "Queen of Heaven" and "Queen of the World."
Catholics claim not only that Mary was perfectly sinless from conception, even as
Jesus was (doctrine of Immaculate Conception, proclaimed by Pope Pius IX in
1854), but that the reason she never sinned at any time during her life was
because she was unable to sin (cf. Lk. 1:46
,47; Rom. 3:10,23; 5:12; Heb. 4:15
; 1 Jn. 1:8,10). Catholics also believe that Mary was a perpetual virgin (cf. Ps. 69:8
; Matt. 1:24,25; 13:54-56; Mk. 6:3; Jn. 7:5), and that she was assumed, body and soul, into heaven (doctrine of Assumption of Mary,
declared ex cathedra by Pope Pius XII in November of 1950 -- that Mary was
raised from the dead on the third day after her death, and anyone who
refuses to believe this has committed a mortal sin). The consequence of
all this veneration of Mary, in effect, establishes her authority above
Christ's -- Rome says, "He came to us through Mary, and we must go to Him through
her." All this is so obviously idolatrous that one wonders why Catholics take
offense when their religious affections are called cultic
4. Salvation. Catholics teach that a person is saved through the Roman
Catholic Church and its sacraments, especially through baptism, they do
not believe that salvation can be obtained by grace through faith in Christ
alone, but that baptism is
for salvation. Catholics believe that no one outside the Catholic Church
can be saved (Unum Sanctum) (cf. Jn. 5:24
; Eph. 2: 8,9; Gal. 2:21; Rom. 3:22,23). (See also The Second Vatican Council's Decree on Ecumenism and the New
Catholic Catechism (paras 819 and 846.) They also believe that one's
own suffering can expiate the sins of himself and of others, so that what
Christ's suffering was not able to be achieved; one can achieve by his own
works and the works of others (Vatican II).
5. Sacraments. Catholics have seven sacraments: baptism, confirmation,
Eucharist (mass), penance/reconciliation (indulgences), extreme unction
(last rights), marriage, and orders (ordination). Although not even
formally decreed until the Council of Florence in 1439, the Council of Trent
later declared all to be anathema who do not hold Rome's position that it
was Christ Himself who instituted these seven sacraments! (The idea behind
the sacraments is that the shedding of Christ's Blood in His death upon the
the cross is of no value unless it is somehow dispensed and applied "sacramentally" by the Catholic priesthood.) Although Catholics believe that the first five sacraments are indispensable for salvation (because without any one of them, a mortal sin has been committed), baptism is considered the most important. Catholics believe that a person enters into the spiritual life of the Church through baptism; i.e., baptismal regeneration -- that a person can be saved through baptism (actually, 'on the road to salvation,' because Catholics never know exactly when they are saved). They
practice infant baptism because they believe baptism erases original sin (cf.
Jn. 3:18
).6. The Mass. Unknown in the early church, the mass did not become an official doctrine until pronounced by the Lateran Council of 1215 under the direction of Pope Innocent III and reaffirmed by the Council of Trent. The Church of Rome holds that the mass is a continuation of the sacrifice that Christ made on Calvary -- in effect, a re-crucifixion of Christ over and over again in an unbloody manner (cf. Heb. 9:22
; 1 Jn. 1:7). They believe that by this means Christ offers Himself again and again as a sacrifice for sin (cf. Heb. 7:27; 9:12,25,26; 10:10,12,14,18), and that this sacrifice is just as efficacious to take away sin as was the actual sacrifice on Calvary. Catholics thus teach the doctrine of transubstantiation (meaning a change of substance) -- that the bread and wine (at communion) actually become (by the power of the priest!) the body and blood of Christ, which is then worshiped as God Himself! Indeed, the sacrifice of the masses is the central point of
Catholic worship, as evidenced by the fact that those abstaining from attending mass are considered to have committed a mortal sin.
7. Purgatory. Though of pagan origin, the doctrine of purgatory was first
conceptualized in the professing church in the second century, the Roman
Church proclaimed it as an article of faith in 1439 at the Council of Florence, and it was confirmed by Trent in 1548. The Catholic Church teaches that even those "who die in the state of grace" (i.e., saved and sins forgiven) must still spend an indefinite time being purged/purified (i.e., expiated of sins/cleansed for heaven). (Technically, this "purging" can occur in this life rather than in purgatory itself, but as a practical matter, purgatory is the best the average Catholic can hope for.) Some Catholics will admit that the doctrine of purgatory is not based on the Bible but on Catholic tradition (which, by Catholic standards, is equally authoritative) (cf. Jn. 5:24
; Lk. 23:43; 1 Jn. 1:7,9; Phil. 1:23). (Othersteach that it is based upon interpreting several Scriptural texts -- 1 Cor. 3:15
; 1 Pe. 1:7; 3:19; Matt. 12:31.) They teach that those in purgatory can be helped by the prayers and good works of those on earth(which would include the "purchase" of masses and/or other indulgences), but they are not certain how these prayers and works are applied (cf. 2 Pe. 1:9
; Heb. 1:3; Jn. 3:18; 19:30; 2 Cor. 5:6-8).8. The Church Councils. There have been three major Roman Catholic Councils:
Council of Trent (1545-1563), Vatican I (1869-1870), and Vatican II (1962-1965). The last Council, Vatican II, offered no new doctrines nor repudiated any essential teaching of the Roman Church; it referred to Trent dozens and dozens of times, quoted Trent's proclamations as authority, and reaffirmed Trent on every hand. Even the New
_____
Council of Trent -- The Council of Trent was held in an attempt to destroy the progress of the Protestant Reformation; it approved many superstitious and unbiblical beliefs of the Middle Ages (all to be believed under the threat of "anathema"):
(a) Denied every doctrine of the Reformation, from Sola Scriptura to "salvation by grace through faith alone";
(b) Pronounced 125 anathemas http://www.rapidnet.com/~jbeard/bdm/Cults/Catholicism/catholic.htm#anchor63
9480> (i.e., eternal damnation) upon anyone believing what evangelicals
believe and preach today;
(c) Equal value and authority of tradition and Scripture (in actuality, tradition is held above Scripture);
(d) Scriptures for the priesthood only (prohibited to anyone in the laity
without written permission from one's superior -- to violate this was [and
still is in most "Catholic countries" today] considered a mortal sin);
(e) Seven sacraments;
(f) Communion by eating the bread only (not drinking the wine);
(g) Purgatory;
(h) Indulgences;
(i) The Mass as a propitiatory offering.
Vatican I
(a) Defined the infallibility of the pope;
(b) Confirmed Unum Sanctum (no salvation outside the Catholic Church).
Vatican II -- made no new doctrines, nor did it change or repudiate any old
ones; Trent and Vatican I stand as is (i.e., Vatican II verified and validated all the anathemas of Trent). Vatican II reaffirmed such Roman heresies as papal supremacy, the Roman priesthood, the mass as an unbloody sacrifice of Christ, a polluted sacramental gospel, Catholic tradition on equal par with Scripture, Mary as the Queen of Heaven and co-Redemptrix with Christ; auricular confession; Mariolatry; pilgrimages to "holy shrines"; purgatory; prayers to and for the dead; etc. (Although the restriction against laity reading the Scriptures has been removed, it is still a mortal sin for a Roman Catholic anywhere to read any Protestant version of the Bible. That the real attitude of the Vatican toward the Bible has not changed is shown by the fact that in 1957, the depot of the British and Foreign Bible Society in Madrid, Spain was closed, and its stock of Bibles was confiscated and burned.)
(a) Reaffirmed the infallibility of the pope (and even when he does not speak ex-cathedra, all Catholics must still give complete submission of mind and will to what he says);
(b) Divided Catholic doctrine into that which is the essential core of theology and must be received by faith and that which is still an undefined body of theology, which Catholics may question and debate without repudiating their essential Catholicism;
(c) Established 20 complex rules concerning when and how any indulgence may be obtained and condemned "with anathema those who say that indulgences are useless or that the Church does not have the power to grant them ... [for] the task of winning salvation." [Back
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A Sampling of the Anathemas of Trent:
If any one shall deny that the body and blood, together with the soul and
Divinity of our Lord Jesus Christ, and therefore entire Christ, are true,
really, and substantially contained in the sacrament of the most holy
Eucharist; and shall say that He is only in it as a sign, or in a figure, or
virtually -- let him be accursed (Canon 1).
If any one shall say that the substance of the bread and wine remains in the
sacrament of the most holy Eucharist, together with the body and blood of
our Lord Jesus Christ, and shall deny that excellent and singular conversion
of the whole substance of the bread into the body, and of the whole substance of the wine into the blood, the outward forms of the bread and wine still remaining, which conversion the Catholic Church most aptly calls transubstantiation -- let him be accursed (Canon 2).
If any man shall say that Christ, the only begotten Son of God, is not to be
adored in the holy sacrament of the Eucharist, even with the open worship of
latria, and therefore not to be venerated with any peculiar festal celebrity, nor to be solemnly carried about in processions according to the praiseworthy and universal rites and customs of the holy Church, and that he is not to be publicly set before the people to be adored, and that his adorers are idolaters -- let him be accursed (Canon 6).
If anyone shall say that the ungodly man is justified by faith only to
understand that nothing else is required that may cooperate to obtain the
grace of justification, and that it is in no wise necessary for him to be
prepared and disposed by the motion of his own will ... let him be accursed
(Canon 9).
If anyone shall say that justifying faith is nothing else than confidence in
the divine mercy pardoning sins for Christ's sake, or that it is that confidence alone by which we are justified ... let him be accursed (Canon
12).
by: Traci Morin
