Trading Ashes for Beauty David kidd Gospel Minister

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	Trading Ashes for Beauty
	David Kidd, the author of the following article, has also written an excellent book entitled “The Fall and Rise of Christian Standards: Thinking Biblically about Dress and Appearance” (Xulon Press, 2005). It is available from Xulonpress.com or 866-909-2665. With nearly every advantage in our favor, and after years of unprecedented opportunity to produce young people of the highest spiritual, moral, and distinctive Christian character, Christians continue to shoot themselves in the foot by allowing the world’s patterns and styles to define them and their children. Like the children of Israel, we have corrupted ourselves with the gods of Egypt. This is an urgent appeal to Christians, particularly homeschoolers. It will not apply equally to everyone, but I am afraid it applies to far too many. There are many good and wonderful Christian people who may bristle at this, but there is a fire burning and someone must yell. I trust this admonition is gentle, but also firm and clear. In Isaiah 61 God is speaking through the prophet of his intentions to bring salvation to his people, to comfort the mourning, and to give them beauty for ashes. In chapter 62, referring to His people, He says, “Thou shalt also be a crown of glory unto the Lord, and a royal diadem in the hand of thy God. I have visited many homeschool conventions around the eastern part of the country and know many fine homeschooling families. I work with their boys, fellowship with the parents, and observe their young ladies. There is no other group of people I would rather be around than Christian homeschoolers. However, each event I attend, whether regional or local, leaves me with burning questions: “What are we doing wrong?” “Why do so many of our young people look, act, and talk like the world?” “How can it be that we shelter our youth from public school influences, yet in language, appearance and conduct one could never tell them apart? We have traded the beauty of being a peculiar people; pure, innocent, distinct, and separate, for the ashes of the world’s fashions and foolishness. Please understand, I realize there is plenty of room for differences in styles of dress and preferences in appearance. I am not suggesting we adopt a “uniform,” but I am asking that you honestly evaluate this intensely personal area in the light of God’s Word and His call for us to be “royal diadems. I said I would be gentle, but clear. Allow me to be very clear so there can be no misunderstanding by providing a literary montage describing a typical homeschool event: A young man, perhaps 15, walks through the door of the meeting room. His pants are baggy, dragging on the floor, his outer shirt is open and oversized, with the shirttail dangling mid-thigh. On his head a baseball cap is turned backwards. After a few moments he is reminded that hats should not be worn inside and he removes it, revealing gel-spiked hair. A single earring dangles from his left ear. He fingers it as he scans the room for friends. His eyes brighten as he spots one. An outstretched hand, oddly crooked at the wrist, with a single pointing finger is acknowledged by another similarly attired young man. They greet each other with a handshake. Not a gentleman’s handshake, but some variant form, first with fingers enclenched, then a bumping of the fists. They talk for a minute. It is apparent they are admiring each other’s necklaces. Gel-spike’s is delicate, perhaps of Indian origin. His friend’s is bold and brash, a linked chain, heavy enough to harness a pit bull. Their body language exudes a suave coolness. From my vantage point I look for the parents of the two lads. There in the corner is the heavy-chained one’s mother. Her hair is short, though not cropped off in a feminist statement. Loosely fitting blue jeans and a wool pullover sweater complete her outfit. As the styles of the day would have it, she looks pretty normal. Across the way is heavy-chain’s father. He is talking with an older gentleman who is neatly dressed in a button down shirt and beige colored Dockers. His own cut-off jeans, a stark contrast to the neat casual Dockers of his conversation mate, looked liked they lost a fight with his son’s pit bull. Gel-spike swaggers across the room to a smartly-dressed middle-age woman. My lip reading skills are adequate enough that I know he called her mom. They converse for a minute. She smiles and pats him on the head as he walks away. Her friend laughs and offers her a napkin to wipe her now gelled hand. As I continue my stealth surveillance, I take mental inventory: 12 women wearing blue jeans, 2 women in long dresses or skirts, 5 boys with gelled hair, 3 with necklaces or earrings, 9 girls in blue jeans, 2 in short shorts, 2 in long dresses. Before I complete my analysis, I notice two young ladies, both perhaps 14. They are not together, except in the sense they are both here. The one stands out because her dress is long and flowing. She approaches a lady that I suspect must be her mother. She is dressed in similar style. Mom long-dress hands car keys to daughter long-dress and whispers something to her. She quickly moves across the room and approaches a young man, perhaps 17 years old, who was just hanging up his coat and depositing his hat on the top of the coat rack. “Her brother, I bet,” I think to myself. Sure enough he takes the keys and goes outside, apparently to fulfill an errand for mom. I wait for him to return to add him to my mental notes: Cowboy boots, jeans, pull over shirt, no gel-hair, no necklace, no earrings. I scan the crowd. There were a few others in similar, benign attire. I was struck by the contrast in appearance. Everything was here, from a near Mennonite look, to those who appeared to have popped out of “People” magazine. The other 14 year-old girl that caught my attention was still where I had first spotted her. Her jeans were tight, as though they had been bought just before her last growth spurt. Her shirt was also tight, and short, advertising the fact she was no longer a little girl. Another girl approached, dressed in similar form-fitting, flesh-exposing fashion. Their apparent willingness to flaunt their developing physiques made my heart sink. “What could their parents possibly be thinking? “She can really kick b_ _t.” I snapped my head around to see where that had come from. Another young lady, perhaps 15, was talking with some boys. I listened for a moment, enough to hear the slang term a few more times. She obviously liked using that word. Her mother stood nearby, either oblivious to the street slang or unconcerned. “You’re being too sensitive” a voice in my head was trying to shake me into reality. I could not help but notice the contrast. The other two girl’s attire was tight and revealing, hers was loose and obviously, intentionally sloppy. Both were outside my “box” of appropriate Christian attire. I resisted the urge to pass judgment any further. For the remainder of the evening I mingled with the group, discussing a variety of topics. Mr. Cut-offs mentioned that he needed prayer for a job. Gel-spike told me about his work with children in a child evangelism program. Miss short-shirt seemed to be a loner. The other short-shirt was on the prowl, trying to make herself appealing to any interested boys in the group. None were. As the evening concluded and we prepared to leave, I scanned the gathering one last time. Heavy-chain was tying his little brother’s shoes. Gel-spike was helping heavy-chain’s Dad set the chairs in straight rows. These boys did not wear the characteristic scowl of a rebellious heart, yet their appearance screamed it loud and clear. The confusing images spun cobwebs in my mind. I had watched the two of them all evening. They seemed polite and pleasant, even somewhat spiritual. “The look of the world with an apparently spiritual heart. How does that work?” “Man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart.” The verse spontaneously erupted from my subconscious. “I wonder if what I can see matches what God can see,” I thought. Miss short-shirt had her coat on now, concealing the bold statement she had been making all evening. The younger long-dress had her coat on too. She was leaving just behind loner short-shirt. Their coats were nearly identical. But for the fringe of her dress gently flipping around her calf as she hurried outside, you might have thought they were sisters. “That could never be,” I concluded. Two girls, with such different values and standards instilled in them, and whose outward appearance bears such striking differences could never be from the same family. I was sure of that. They did appear to be leaving together though. I watched as the other mom long-dress came outside carrying one tired little bundled up baby. Short-shirt and younger long-dress were headed for the same van! “It can’t be!” I thought. I strained to see. At the large van, I noticed young long-dress get in. Soon mom long-dress arrived, handing a sleeping bundle to her older son in the van. Miss short-shirt paused for a moment, “coming Mom,” I heard her call, and ran across the lot to the family car. “I was right,” I thought proudly. “Such conflicting values could never co-exist in the same household. As I traveled home, my mind felt like it had been twisted into a snarled knot. Like watching a movie that has no plot, or reading a book that attempts to weave so many conflicting images into the story that you finish not knowing what it was all about. I was confused and dismayed. “How can it be?” I wondered. Here was a group of Christian homeschooling families. In addition to our common bond of faith in Jesus Christ, we also had a common bond of insulating our children from the worldly influences and a desire to raise a distinctive generation of Christian youth who will one day establish Godly homes of their own. At least, that’s what everyone says. “I do believe these people love the Lord.” “Why do so many of the children, and even some parents, look so much like the world?” “Where are the distinctive marks?” “Is it only a spirit of holiness we are after, or should there be a visible evidence of that inner spirit?” “Is purity and innocence an inner quality which may be disguised behind a worldly façade of popular fad and fashion?” Questions swirled in my mind trying to make sense of the confusing menagerie of images I had seen. “Is it possible for such opposing values to co-exist in the same household of faith? “You’re judgmental!” “Legalism!” “Man looks at the outward appearance, God looks at the heart.” “We have freedom in Christ!” “You are in bondage.” “God accepts us as we are.” The accusations and defenses exploded from my memory banks as I involuntarily recalled past debates with others who see the issues differently than I. As we traveled home, the streetlights of the little town we were passing through illuminated the youthful residents. Some were huddled in small groups, others hurriedly chasing to catch friends. Again my mind made a quick inventory as I scanned the scene. Three of four boys in a group to my left had gel-spiked hair. Two of the four wore earrings. A fifth approached the group. A thick chain around his neck sparkled in the street light. He greeted the others with a handshake like the one I had seen gel-spike and heavy-chain exchange earlier. Two girls from across the street were calling to the boys. They both wore blue jeans and form fitting shirts that were much to short to cover their middle as they raised their hands to wave to the boys. I quickly looked around while waiting at the red light; seven girls, all in blue jeans, and most wearing revealing shirts similar to the two we just passed, six boys, three with gel-spiked hair, four wearing necklaces or chains, two with earrings. I was paralyzed by the inescapable truth and my inability to reconcile with it. Considering the standard of appearance and action, these were no different than some in the group I just left. Perhaps, like some in our gathering, their heart does not match the look they project, but that I could not tell from my mobile vantage point. I only know that they looked and acted the same. There was one difference. On the streets, I did not see a little miss long-dress or any aspiring Dockers-pants or button-down shirts. The scenes I just described for you, though not all occurring in the same place at the same time, are not fictitious, but a combination of observations I have made at various home school and other Christian events. If this is typical, and I fear that it is, it is a horrible indictment of our willingness to accept the ashes of the world’s look, in exchange for the beauty of being a sparkling crown of glory and a royal diadem for our God. When it becomes impossible on a city street to even guess which might be the lost sinner and which is probably the Christian teen, something has gone disastrously awry. There was a time I would have blamed the church, but it is not the fault of the church, except to the extent that it has served as an accomplice. No, my appeal is not to pastors first, but to Christian parents. Wake up and look at your children! Your daughters are exposing their bodies, either in flesh or form, presenting an image that reeks of worldliness, carnality and sensuality. Do you not see it? Do you not realize the nightmare that lies ahead for her if you do not require a standard that marks her as a diadem of God? Your sons dress and adorn themselves in a fashion that would have shamed even the unsaved a generation ago, for such was reserved for only the most perverse segments of society. Yet today, the church and its Christian parents console themselves, mistakenly convinced that God does not care about outward appearance. Even the most casual reader of Samuel’s evaluation of the sons of Jesse, from which this position arises, should recognize that God’s admonition was not a license for man to overlook the outer flesh, but a limitation of his ability to see the heart, which only God is able to see. My dear Christian parent, our children are an heritage of the Lord. Why do so many of our youth look, act and talk like they have been disinherited from the kingdom and forfeited to the world, and that without even a noble fight? A fountain cannot send forth both sweet water and bitter. No man can serve two masters. He/she will either love Christ and look like His, or love the world and look like it. You cannot serve God and mammon. Friendship with the world is enmity with God. I appeal to you for the sake of the heritage God has entrusted to you. Look at your children, especially your youth. Do they look different from the world? Look at the clothing of your daughters and ask yourself, “What message do the clothes she is wearing send?” Does your son look like an upright man of dignity and Christian character, or does he look like he stepped off the cover of a Backstreet Boys CD? What your children will be, they are now becoming. By now, no doubt, you are in one of two states of mind; either in agreement, you grieve with me, or in disagreement, you have already begun to build a defense. If you are in the latter state, I issue a challenge to you. Build your defense from scripture. If dress does not matter, defend it with the Bible. Subject your view to the scrutiny of God’s truth. My standards need not be yours, but both should be His. In conclusion, I add this disclaimer. It is absolutely true that dressing up the outside does nothing to purify the inside. A whitened sepulcher is still full of dead men’s bones. The inside must first be washed in the blood of Jesus. Once cleansed however, why would we continue to adorn ourselves in the rags of those who remain dead in their trespasses and sins? Put on your biblical glasses and examine what you are permitting in light of Whom we represent. With every advantage and opportunity to raise up young ladies in modesty, and decency, and with such opportunity for our sons to model Christian manhood and dignified character, we have traded the beauty of being a glistening diamond of God, for the ashes of the world’s popularity and fashion, convincing ourselves that it is only the spirit that matters, but failing to understand that such a worldly façade masks the spirit, tarnishing its lustre, until finally it is unrecognizable. In our deal with the devil, we lose it all! May God enable each of us to boldly uphold the glorious standard of our holy God, and may our children reflect that holiness both in spirit and substance. It is not too late.” Thou shalt also be a crown of glory unto the Lord, and a royal diadem in the hand of thy God. David Kidd is pastor of Bethel Bible Fellowship. He and his wife homeschool their five children in Romulus, NY. The book entitled “The Fall and Rise of Christian Standards: Thinking Biblically about Dress and Appearance” is available from Xulon Press (Xulonpress.com, 866-909-2665).

Catholic Church Heresy concerning Jesus earthly Mother Mary

By Stephen Meehan

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We are all familiar with the nursery rhyme that begins with those opening words, but the intent of this article is to highlight the vast differences between the Mary of Scripture, versus the Mary that has been created by Roman Catholicism. When presented side by side—their teachings laid out against what the Bible has to say about her, we are left looking at two completely different beings. Simply put, the attributes and qualities that the Catholic Church ascribe to their Mary are contrary to what the Bible reveals to us about her.

So the question becomes: should we believe what God has told us in His holy inspired Word concerning Mary (“All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness” – 2 Timothy 3:16). Or, do we believe the teachings of Man, through the Church of Rome? Does it make any difference?

The proclamations that Roman Catholicism have made about Mary are varied and most of the characteristics that they have attributed to her cannot be supported by the Holy Writ. For starters, Rome contends that Mary remained a perpetual virgin after the birth of Christ, but Scripture is clear that Mary had other children after Jesus was born, and thus could not have remained a virgin:

“Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: when his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found with child of the Holy Spirit” (Matthew 1:18).

“And Joseph arose from his sleep, and did as the angel of the Lord commanded him, and took unto him his wife; and knew her not till she had brought forth a son: and he called his name JESUS” (Matthew 1:24, 25). [A virgin until Jesus was born.]

“And Mary said unto the angel, how shall this be, seeing I know not a man?” (Luke 1:34). [No sexual relations up to that point.]

The Bible also differentiates between Elizabeth, who had only one child, versus Mary who had multiple children: Elizabeth “brought forth a son” instead of Mary who “brought forth her firstborn son.”

“Now Elizabeth’s time was fulfilled that she should be delivered; and she brought forth a son” (Luke 1:57).

“And she (Mary) brought forth her firstborn son; and she wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn” (Luke 2:7). [The first of her children.]

Mary’s other children are even named in Scripture:

“Is not this the carpenter’s son? Is not his mother called Mary? And his brethren, James, and Joseph, and Simon, and Judas? And his sisters, are they not all with us? Whence then hath this man all these things?” (Matthew 13:55, 56).

“Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary, and brother of James, and Joses, and Judas, and Simon? and are not his sisters here with us? And they were offended in him” (Mark 6:3).

“After this he went down to Capernaum, he, and his mother, and his brethren, and his disciples: and they continued there not many days” (John 2:12).

“His brethren therefore said unto him, depart hence, and go into Judea, that thy disciples also may see the works that thou do” (John 7:3).

“For neither did his brethren believe in him” (John 7:5). [Jesus’ own family didn’t believe in Him until after His Resurrection.]

“But when his brethren were gone up, then went he also up unto the feast, not openly, but as it were in secret.” (John 7:10).

As seen above, three men gospel writers—Matthew, Mark, and John, who were contemporaries of Jesus, attest to the fact that Mary had other children, and so she could not have remained a virgin. The apostle Paul, who became a converted Christian after Jesus’ resurrection, even writes of the brothers of Jesus and names James (of the book of James) as the Lord’s brother:

“These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication, with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brethren” (Acts 1:14). [After the Cross.]

“But other of the apostles saw I none, save James the Lord’s brother” (Galatians 1:19).

“Have we not power to lead about a sister, a wife, as well as other apostles, and as the brethren of the Lord, and Cephas?” (1 Corinthians 9:5).

Rome likes to counter the notion that Mary had other children by claiming that these are cousins of Jesus, and not his half brothers and sisters. If that is the case, then why wasn’t John the Baptist listed here, who actually was the cousin of Jesus. Jesus referred to John as the greatest man ever born of a woman (Luke 7:28), so without a doubt, if these were in fact cousins of Jesus, John would have been included foremost among them – but he is not.

Why does Rome feel compelled to deny Mary of her other children? Does that make her any more virtuous or a better role model to women? Aren’t children a blessing from the Lord? It is abundantly clear through God’s Word that Mary did in fact have other children and to suggest otherwise is tantamount to calling God a liar.

What other claims does Rome make about her? They also insist that Mary was born without sin and remained sinless throughout her life. However, Scripture says otherwise:

“But the scripture has concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe” (Galatians 3:22).

“For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). [The Scripture doesn’t say all BUT Mary.]

Mary even recognizes her lowly estate and the need she has for a savior:

“And Mary said, behold, the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word. And the angel departed from her” (Luke 1:38 9).

“And Mary said, my soul doth magnify the Lord, and my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Savior. For he hath looked upon the low estate of his handmaid: for behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed. For he that is mighty hath done to me great things; and holy is his name” (Luke 1:46-49).

And when eight days were accomplished for the circumcising of the child, his name was called JESUS, which was so named of the angel before he was conceived in the womb. 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; (as it is written in the law of the Lord, ‘Every male that opens the womb shall be called holy to the Lord’) 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” (Luke 2:21-24).

Under the Mosaic Law, as a Jewess, after the birth of Christ, Mary was required to make a sin offering. If she was born sinless as Roman Catholicism teaches, a sin offering would not have been required; there would have been no need for one. Again, Rome’s contention that Mary was sinless and remained so is baseless, and conflicts with what The Holy Bible tells us. Only Christ was sinless and to suggest that someone else lived in that state or condition robs Jesus of the uniqueness of His sinless life and His glory.

Rome goes to great lengths to elevate the status of Mary, well above that which God in His Word says of her. Jesus even has to rebuke the crowd when they try to raise her level of prominence and on a couple of occasions has to correct their thinking:

“While he was yet speaking to the multitudes, behold, his mother and his brethren stood without, seeking to speak to him. And one said unto him, Behold, thy mother and thy brethren stand without, seeking to speak to thee. But he answered and said unto him that told him, Who is my mother? and who are my brethren? And he stretched forth his hand towards his disciples, and said, Behold, my mother and my brethren! For whosoever shall do the will of my Father who is in heaven, he is my brother, and sister, and mother” (Matthew 12:46-50).

“And there come his mother and his brethren; and, standing without, they sent unto him, calling him. And a multitude was sitting about him; and they say unto him, Behold, thy mother and thy brethren without seek for thee. And he answered them, and said, who is my mother and my brethren? And looking around on them that sat around about him, he said, Behold, my mother and my brethren! For whosoever shall do the will of God, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother” (Mark 3:31-35).

“And there came to him his mother and brethren, and they could not come at him for the crowd. And it was told him, Thy mother and thy brethren stand without, desiring to see thee. But he answered and said unto them, My mother and my brethren are these that hear the word of God, and do it” (Luke 8:19-21). [Again, three different gospel writers attest to her other children and that it is more important to do God’s will than to elevate anyone’s status.]

“And it came to pass, as he spoke these things, a certain woman of the company lifted up her voice, and said unto him, Blessed is the womb that bare thee, and the breasts which thou hast sucked. But he said, Yea rather, blessed are they that hear the word of God, and keep it” (Luke 11:27, 28).

It would seem to be a pretty important point that Jesus is making there: we are to hear the Word of God, keep it, trust in it and don’t ever add anything to it. It is far more expedient to live as a Christian in God’s way, than to make up things that are not scriptural and to teach those false errors to others. Why Rome insists on doing this with Mary repeatedly is beyond comprehension. Gross errors in theology will never supplant the correct means of salvation.

Rome also gives the title, “Mother of God” to Mary. Is this correct?

Can a created being become the mother of God? A human created being can become the mother of deity? Maybe only in Greek mythology perhaps.

While it is true that Mary was the vessel chosen by God to bring forth Jesus in His human manifestation, Jesus Christ existed all throughout eternity—before the creation of the world and mankind (as a matter of fact, Jesus created it all as God as told in John chapter 1). So, it was Jesus as God, who created Mary for her special role. Mary is not the Mother of God. God has no mother or father.

Rome also claims that Mary is the “Mother” of all Christians. The verse they like to use to substantiate this teaching is this:

“Now there stood by the cross of Jesus his mother, and his mother's sister, Mary the wife of Cleophas, and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus therefore saw his mother, and the disciple standing by, whom he loved, he said unto his mother, Woman, behold thy son! Then said he to the disciple, Behold thy mother! And from that hour that disciple took her unto his own home” (John 19:25-27).

Only the gospel of John records this incident and it only applied to John. He was at the time a very young man and may have been motherless. She became his mother and he took care of her. Christians do not have a universal mother and are not in need of one. The Father provides for us and this is just another in a long line of Rome’s teachings that denies God His glory.

Is Mary the Queen of Heaven, like Roman Catholicism proclaims? Does she reign and rule along with God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit? Is she deity? Is it a Triune God and a single Queen of Heaven that governs the affairs of men and the universe?

Here is what Scripture says of a “Queen of Heaven”:

“The children gather wood, and the fathers kindle the fire, and the women knead their dough, to make cakes to the queen of heaven, and to pour out drink offerings unto other gods, that they may provoke me to anger” (Jeremiah 7:18).

“Do they provoke me to anger? says the LORD: do they not provoke themselves to the confusion of their own faces?” (Jeremiah 7:19).

The Queen of Heaven was a pagan deity who was worshipped during Old Testament times, as recorded by Jeremiah the prophet. God despised this false worship of a false being. He compared it to being in a state of confusion. The Israelites were led astray in worshipping this false pagan queen and suffered terribly for it. We are never to put a false object before the Lord; that is idolatry. He alone is to be worshipped and praised. No one else exists anyway, to watch over us, guide us, provide for us or save us.

And yet, the people of that time didn’t care if God was happy with their style of worship. They were going to worship the way they wanted and to whomever they chose. Do not the words below describe exactly to a tee the response Rome seems to give in worshipping this Queen of Heaven? (We don’t care what God’s Word says, we will worship who we choose to and however we want to):

“But we will certainly do whatsoever thing goes forth out of our own mouth, to burn incense unto the queen of heaven, and to pour out drink offerings unto her, as we have done, we, and our fathers, our kings, and our princes, in the cities of Judah, and in the streets of Jerusalem: for then had we plenty of victuals, and were well, and saw no evil” (Jeremiah 44:17).

“But since we left off to burn incense to the queen of heaven, and to pour out drink offerings unto her, we have wanted all things, and have been consumed by the sword and by the famine” (Jeremiah 44:18).

“And when we burned incense to the queen of heaven, and poured out drink offerings unto her, did we make her cakes to worship her, and pour out drink offerings unto her, without our men?” (Jeremiah 44:19).

“Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, saying; Ye and your wives have both spoken with your mouths, and fulfilled with your hand, saying, We will surely perform our vows that we have vowed, to burn incense to the queen of heaven, and to pour out drink offerings unto her: ye will surely accomplish your vows, and surely perform your vows” (Jeremiah 44:25).

Incredible as it may seem, an organization like Roman Catholicism that identifies herself with Christianity, and in fact calls herself the Mother of all Churches (she loves the Mother title), is more in line with a pagan style of worship in insisting on praying to and worshipping a Queen of Heaven. God detests that activity, but Rome promotes it. Who is right?

Is there a difference between the Mary that Rome offers up versus the scriptural Mary that we read about in the Bible? Clearly there is.

The Mary of God’s Word tells us who to believe and in who to trust:

“And the third day there was a marriage in Cana of Galilee; and the mother of Jesus was there” (John 2:1).

“And when they wanted wine, the mother of Jesus said unto him, they have no wine. Jesus said unto her, Woman, what have I to do with thee? Mine hour is not yet come. His mother said unto the servants, whatsoever he says unto you, do it” (John 2:3-5).

We as Christians are all servants of Christ. As Mary proclaims in this passage, Whatever He says, you do it! What the Bible says about salvation, you trust it. What it claims about Mary, you can believe it. Was she favored? Yes. Was she blessed? Yes. Was she a role model? Yes. Do we trust in her for our salvation or to get needs met? No! But Rome would tell us otherwise.

God’s position on who Jesus was and is clear: we are to trust in Him and no one else for our salvation and we have no need to seek any other source:

“And there came a voice out of the cloud, saying, This is my beloved Son: hear him” (Luke 9:35).

Do we need to worship anyone else, other than God (and of course, Jesus is God)? Even the so-called wise men from the East, when they came from afar to worship Christ, worshipped Him only. They didn’t then turn to Mary to worship her:

“Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him” (Matthew 2:2).

“And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh” (Matthew 2:11).

Neither are we to worship anyone else. It is forbidden as a Christian or even an angel to receive worship that is due to God alone. The apostle John, in the book of Revelation, was overwhelmed by the vision he witnessed in heaven, of the 24 Elders, the Heavenly Host and the Lord Jesus. He was reprimanded for attempting to worship an angel, versus giving glory to God alone:

“And I fell at his feet to worship him. And he said unto me, See thou do it not: I am thy fellow servant, and of thy brethren that have the testimony of Jesus: worship God: for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy” (Revelation 19:10).

“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 showed me these things” (Revelation 22:8).

“Then said 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 sayings of this book: worship God” (Revelation 22:9).

It is more than evident throughout all Scripture that only God is worthy of our praise and worship. Never are we allowed to elevate anyone else to that status. The entire Bible points to Jesus Christ as the sole means of salvation. The Old Testament points out our sinfulness and foretells of a future Redeemer. The New Testament gives us the words and examples of Jesus and points us back to what He alone has accomplished.

The entire message of the Holy Bible can be encapsulated in one verse:

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (John 3:16).

There is no mention in there of Mary. She served the Lord in her special role and with the exception of the verses cited above and a few others, the scriptures are relatively quiet about her after Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection. She is to be honored and remembered and does act as a role model on how to live, but what Rome has done with her is reprehensible.

Mary wasn’t sinless; didn’t remain a virgin; isn’t the Mother of God; is not a Queen of Heaven and is not to be prayed to. Jesus taught us to pray directly to the Father; Mary is not a co-redeemer, nor a co-mediatrix. (Does God really need a human being’s help in saving us or acting as a go-between for Man and God?) We don’t bow down before images of her or parade around behind those images, and she doesn’t come to us in Marian apparitions—that is demonic activity.

Mary wasn’t immaculately conceived (born without sin; only Christ was); she wasn’t bodily assumed into heaven; she can’t keep a person out of a fictitious place called purgatory by wearing a scapular of her; she can’t hear or answer prayer from anyone around the globe at all times (only God can); nor can any of the other things that Rome has invented over the centuries which they have attributed to her. This is all false and it flies in the face of God and biblical Christianity.

There is a monumental difference between the Mary of the Bible and the aberration of Mary that Rome has concocted. Why deceive their followers? Isn’t God’s Word sufficient in describing how she was? Do we need to embellish her characteristics? Who gains by doing that? Is God honored by that activity? Is this what Christians should do, invent things that hugely displease the Father and Jesus Christ our Lord?

A thousand times no! Their inspiration for doing such things and teaching perversity comes from a different source than the Bible or the Holy Spirit. It doesn’t take much imagination to consider what source is providing such gross errors. The enemy would much rather keep our focus off Christ and instead, look to a “Mary,” dead saints, popes, bishops, cardinals, icons, relics, wafers, statues or anything else that seems religious. None of those other things or beings come close to acting as a substitute for Jesus—and Satan knows it.

If Rome’s teachings about Mary are contrary to what God has said about her in His Holy infallible Word—the Bible, what other errors do the Catholics teach? This is only one subject of Roman Catholic theology that opposes what is written in Scripture on how to be a saved Christian. The others are too numerous to list here.

If you’re a Catholic, like I was, get out. If you’re not a Catholic, witness to Catholics and don’t assume that they are Christians. Roman Catholicism is a huge mission field; they are being deceived. Rome is leading their flock astray.

Rome’s version of Mary is just one avenue of false teaching along their broad highway of false doctrine. The Roman Catholic system of salvation is full of potholes of error, idolatry, blasphemous practices which continually robs the glory due to Jesus Christ alone.

“Jesus Christ is the Way, the Truth, and the Life – no one comes to the Father but by him” (John 14:6).

He is the narrow way, the true path. Don’t substitute a relationship with the King of kings and Lord of lords for a false system of salvation. Please seek the Holy Spirit’s help and discernment in seeing just how wrong the Roman Catholic system of salvation truly is.

Footnote: All Scripture emphasis is added by the author.

stevepm1225@yahoo.com