Roman Catholic Beliefs- Part 12- Mary, the Mother of God?


Part 12 of "Cathechism Chat"

Jesus said, "Search the scriptures, for you think in them to have life everlasting; and the same are they that give testimony of me. And you will not come to me that you may have life."
(John 5:39,40; Douay Version)

I was reading in the Roman Catholic book, 'The Documents of Vatican II' by Walter M. Abbott, S.J. in the Chapter entitled, 'Decree on Eastern Catholic Churches' under the sub-title, 'Conclusion' on page 385, #30 second paragraph, "Meanwhile, however all Christians, Eastern as well as Western, are earnestly asked to pray to God fervently and insistently, indeed daily, that with the aid of the most holy Mother of God, all may become one."

Not anywhere in the bible, God's word is Mary called the Mother of God nor are we told to seek her aid in our prayers to God. First off as I have already shared in another lesson, Mary is not the Mother of God, God doesn't have a Mother, she is the mother of the human nature of Jesus, as God Jesus always existed, as man he had a beginning.

Now I would like to read out of a book entitled, 'Roman Catholicism' by Loraine Boettner in Chapter VII. Mary, #2 "Mother of God", "The doctrine of 'Mary, the Mother of God,' as we know it today is the result of centuries of growth, often stimulated by pronouncements of church prelates. And yet the full-pledged system of Mariolatry is a comparatively recent development in Roman Catholic dogma. In fact the last one hundred years have quite appropriately been called the 'Century of Mariolatry.'
As late as the fourth century there are no indications of any special veneration of Mary.
(Jumping down)
The phrase 'Mother of God' originated in the Council of Ephesus, in the year 431. It occurs in the Creed of Chalcedon, which was adopted by the council which met in the city in 451, and in regard to the person of Christ it is declared that He was, 'Born of the Virgin Mary, the Mother of God according to the manhood'- which latter term means: according to the flesh of human nature. The purpose of the expression as used by the council of Ephesus was not to glorify Mary, but to emphasize the deity of Christ over against those who denied His equality with the Father and the Holy Spirit.
(Jumping down)
But Mary certainly did not give birth to God, nor to Jesus Christ as the eternal Son of God. She was not the Mother of our Lord's divinity, but only of His humanity. Instead, Christ, the second person of the Trinity, has existed from all eternity, and was Mary's Creator. (Jumping down)
The Bible calls Mary the 'Mother of Jesus,' but gives her no other title. All that the Roman Church has to substantiate her worship of Mary is a sheaf of traditions entirely outside of the Bible telling of her appearances to certain monks, nuns and others venerated as saints. At first glance the term 'Mother of God' may seem comparatively harmless. But the actual consequence is that through its use Roman Catholics come to look upon Mary as stronger, more mature, and more powerful than Christ. To them she becomes the source of His being and overshadows Him. So they go to her, not to Him. 'He came to us through Mary', says Rome, 'and we must go to Him through her.' Who would go to "the Child," even to "the holy Child," for salvation when His mother seems easier of access and more responsive? Romanism magnifies the person that the Holy Spirit wants minimized, and minimizes the person that the Holy Spirit wants magnified." (Jumping down)
Furthermore, if the Roman terminology is correct and Mary is to be called God's mother, then Joseph was God's step-father, James, Joseph, Simon, and Judas were God's brothers, Elizabeth was God's aunt, John the Baptist was God's cousin, Heli was God's grandfa ther, and Adam was God's 59th great grandfather. Such references to God relatives sound more like a page out of Mormonism than Christianity."

Now going to the bible, Douay Version,The Acts Chapter 4, verse 12, "Neither is there salvation in any other. For there is no other name under heaven given to men, whereby we must be saved."
The Bible says that there isn't any other way to salvation except through Jesus, not anybody and that includes Mary. She can't save and as I have shown in a different lesson that Jesus didn't obey her after he proclaimed himself as the Messiah, the Saviour of the world (Read St. Matthew Chapter 12, verses 46-50). Just as it was true with John the Baptist, it is true with Mary, Christ must increase and they must decrease. St. John Chapter 1 verse 12 says: "But as many as received him, he gave them power to be made the sons of God, to them that believe in his name." Once again, it says to as many as received Jesus Christ, not him and Mary, just him, those who believe in Jesus not him and Mary, just him.

In St. John Chapter 14, verses 13, 14; "Because I go to the Father: and whatsoever you shall ask the Father in my name, that will I do: that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you shall ask anything in my name, that I will do." He did not say to ask in his name and in Mary's or to ask through Mary. He said in his name and he will do it. Jesus Christ wants to be a loving Saviour. The Lord Jesus Christ came to set us free. Mary didn't come to give us life but Jesus most certainly did. Come to him today, he is calling you to himself. His Love is truly unbelievable, truly awesome.

As I have shared before, tradition in the Roman Catholic Church has made the word of God useless or 'of none effect' to the Roman Catholics. Tradition has been accepted even though it contradicts the bible. Having some tradition is alright to a degree but when it contradicts the bible, it must be thrown out and ever so many things in Roman Catholicism contradicts the bible. I've shared many of the contradictions with you and I will be sharing many more as time goes on.

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