'Earnestly contending for the faith,' (Jude 3 ) as well as sharing encouragement and hope through Scripture (Romans 15:4), and through the poems and posts that I write. One of many voices on the Internet warning Christians of the importance of testing the teachings of men (and women) against the unchanging truth of God's Word. (Acts 17:11) I 'warn you with tears' through much of what I write, to 'be on guard against the savage wolves that will come in among us who will distort the Word of God' as God's Word warns us about in Acts 20:26-31
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Biblical truth, the character of God as shown in Scripture, and the eternal destination of each individual is of the utmost importance when it comes to determining what is true according to what is being taught by professing Christians. If a teaching based on a Bible verse does not line up with the rest of Scripture as it appears in context, but instead is based on presuppositions and the philosophies of men, we must put aside our presuppositions and go back to Scripture looking at the clear meaning of the text, along with examining other passages of Scripture on the same topic, and determine what is actually being taught before coming to a conclusion. With that in mind, I ask that you prayerfully consider watching this debate and consider the information and arguments given on both sides of this issue of ‘election‘ before coming to a conclusion regarding election.
I will state very clearly that I am neither a Calvinist, nor am I an Arminian. Therefore, I stand with Provisionist, Leighton Flowers, who passionately defended his position and the character and nature of God in light of Scripture during last Thursday’s debate (March 7, ’24). I do, however, have a deep respect for James White regarding his work in debating Catholic Theologians (and others) in order to establish the sufficiency of Jesus Christ’s once for all sacrifice for sin.
When time allows, I pray that you will take the time to listen to this debate with your Bibles open in order to search the Scriptures for yourself to determine what is true or not (Acts 17:11) because this topic is extremely important!
[NOTE: I have decided to open this particular post up for discussion, but it is only for those of you who would like to discuss this amongst yourselves whether you are a Calvinist, an Arminian, or Provisionist (one who holds to the view that Jesus Christ’s once for all sacrifice provided complete forgiveness for those who choose to place their faith and trust in all that He accomplished to provide for complete forgiveness for sin). Presently I don’t have the time to reply to comments due to preparing to have my taxes done and preparing for an upcoming art exhibit in Schaumburg, IL at the end of May ’24.]
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Thank you very much for stopping by today.
God Bless You
~Mary K Dalke – Living4HisGlory – Reflecting His Glory Fine Arts – Photography And Acrylic Art
This post was written as a response to a request that I received from a dear sister-in-Christ who wanted me to write something regarding the Carmelite order of priests and nuns. She had watched a few minutes of a YouTube video and was saddened to see their devotion to “Mary” and how their whole existence is to Mary. She also asked, “How did this Carmelite order ever come to be?”
In answer to your question, dear sister, I came to discover this very troubling information that clearly shows without a doubt that the Catholic church sadly does not believe that Jesus Christ’s once for all sacrifice was sufficient to pay the debt for all of our sins in full. It also shows their emphasis on unbiblical Contemplative, mystical, spirituality. In part, this is what it says in the quick capture above:
“They live an austere life of penance and renunciation to make reparation for the sins of us all and to implore God’s pardon. They ask heaven’s blessing upon our lives, and they continually beg for the salvation of our souls.”
SOURCE – To continue reading the above article, click HERE
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At the 11:36 minute mark in the video directly above, you will hear:
“As a sign of membership to the carmel, the scapular is also a sign of belonging to Maria [Mary] to express the devotion to this mother and the gathering of the followers to the Carmelite family. It expresses the conviction of the member to live consecrated to Mary and under her protection. It reminds whoever uses it [the scapular] the commitment to live their own Marian dimension that is characterized in a life of similarity with Mary in prayer, humility, and imitation of her riches inviting the intimate union with God and to the generous duty of fellow men and of the church.”
At the12:19 minute mark
“With her maternal love, Mary takes care of her Son’s brothers still pilgrims in the middle of danger and difficulties until they reach their celestial Father. The scapular, so intense, defines for us the maternal spirituality of Mary who protects life, saves during death, and intervenes after death.”
We are only to have our faith and trust in Jesus Christ alone for the assurance of salvation; we are never to place our trust in any object such as the scapular! Precious Catholics need to think for themselves and read their Bibles so that by the power of the Holy Spirit they may come to understand all that Jesus Christ accomplished for us all by His once for all sacrifice when He died in our place on the cross for our sins and satisfied God the Father’s just demands for sins –in full!! What joy filled my heart that day when I read the little Catholic New Testament Bible that I was given and came to understand the true Biblical gospel that I never heard once in the 12 years of Catholic schooling that I had! Neither did I hear it during the thousands upon thousands of masses that I attended during the many years that I was a Catholic. Instead I heard the priest calling Jesus Christ a “Victim” when in actuality He was — and is — the Victor over sin and death!!
In the series that I recently presented here regarding the Catechism Of The Catholic Church, I shared many instances with all of you where their Tradition (man-made teachings in Catholicism that are put on the same level of authority as the Bible itself; Para 82 CCC), clearly distorts, conflicts with, and oftentimes completely contradicts the truth that can be found in God’s Word, the Bible. In the following video that I added to give you more information regarding the religious order of Mount Carmel, you will see another example of how Catholic “Tradition” distorts the very Word of God and oftentimes elevates Mary to a place of prominence that belongs to Jesus Christ alone! At the 1 minute mark it is said that the small cloud that the prophet Elijah saw that arose from the sea is an image of the Madonna (the virgin Mary) who, carrying Jesus in her womb, gave life to the world. This is clearly adding to Scripture, which is something that is strongly warned against!! (Read Deuteronomy 12:32, Proverbs 30:5,6, Revelation 22:18,19).
Please, precious Catholic, begin reading your Bibles and ask God to reveal His love and truth to you! Begin reading through the gospel of John, and I also encourage you to also read through Romans, Ephesians, Galatians, 1,2, and 3 John, and Hebrews. Do not be led astray by the Traditions and teachings of the Catholic church that contradict the truth of God’s Word! Come to Jesus just as you are and place your faith and trust in all that He already did for you through the sinless life that He lived that you and I could never live, His brutal death by crucifixion when He died in your place and mine, taking upon Himself the full wrath of God that was intended for you and I because of all of our sins, His burial, and His glorious resurrection from the dead in bodily form three days later! There is no purgatory; no second chance after death!
Whether you are a Catholic — or whatever your beliefs may be — where you will spend eternity when your life comes to an end depends solely upon what you choose to believe about Jesus Christ. Do you believe that He was just a good teacher or a prophet? Or do you believe as the Bible reveals and declares Him to be, and as Jesus Christ Himself claimed to be: that he was/is God in the flesh?
Hell is real and is a place of eternal torment filled with fire that was created not for mankind but for the devil and his angels (read Matthew 25:41). It will be one’s choice of rejecting Jesus Christ that will be why anyone ends up in hell!
I pray that each of you will seek the truth regarding Jesus Christ because your eternal destiny is truly at stake!!
Thank you very much for stopping by today.
God Bless You
~Mary Dalke – Living4His Glory – Reflecting His Glory Photography And Acrylic Art
UPDATE:
As I mentioned in at least one of my previous posts, the Lord amazingly provided a childcare job for me and I started the first week of January! Due to the fact that I will also be painting and preparing to take part in some art and craft shows here in the northwest suburbs of the Chicago area starting this spring, my free time will now be extremely limited in order to write any more in depth posts. However, if I see the need to write something when time allows, Lord willing, I will do so!
Since I started this blog back in 2009, I have written many, many posts to show you the extreme importance of reading your Bible and testing the teachings of professing Christian pastors and teachers in light of Scripture. I will not be writing as much during this new year because I need to focus on my photography and making many acrylic art paintings with the hope of selling them at art and craft fairs throughout this new year. However, Lord willing, later on towards the end of this year, I do hope to begin writing a series regarding Calvinism and Reformed Theology in light of Scripture.
For those of you who have come to realize the unbiblical nature of Calvinism and Reformed Theology after testing these teachings against Scripture and have rejected them, please consider writing your testimony of how God opened your eyes to see the truth and send it to me via this CONTACT FORM,and I will consider sharing your story here on my blog in order to help other see how these teachings distort not only the very character and nature of God, but also the good news of the Biblical gospel!
Thank you very much for stopping by today and for taking time out of your busy days to stop by to read my posts! I appreciate every one of you who have subscribed and those of you who occasionally stop by!
A Joyous And Blessed New Year to those of you who have already placed your full faith and trust only in all that Jesus Christ already did for you by living a sinless life that we could never live, by willingly dying on the cross in our place for our sins, and by rising from the dead three days later in bodily form, showing that His once for all sacrifice was sufficient to pay the debt for all of our sins and guilt in full!
For those of you who have never heard this good news of the Biblical gospel, I pray that you will get a Bible and start reading through the Gospel of John, Romans, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, Hebrews (especially Chapters 7-10), 1 John, 2 John, and 3 John and ask God to reveal His love and truth to you!
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God Bless You
~Mary Dalke – Living4HisGlory – Reflecting His Glory Photography And Acrylic Art
There are two very important reasons why I felt compelled to write this series of posts, and I’d like to briefly share these reasons with you now before I go any further:
1) Since I am a former Catholic who is very aware of the teachings of the Catholic Church because I attended twelve years of Catholic school, attended Catechism classes, made my First Holy Communion, was Confirmed, and faithfully attended Mass not only every Sunday for many years, but also before school began for three years (as required by the school that I attended at the time), and who came to the knowledge of who Jesus Christ truly is and what He actually accomplished for us by reading a Catholic New Testament Bible exactly like the one pictured above, I decided to write this series with the hope of reaching precious Catholics so that they can not only come to an understanding of who Jesus Christ truly is as His Word, the Bible, declares Him to be, but also so they can see by reading God’s Word that they can have complete forgiveness, lasting joy, true peace, and the assurance of salvation if they choose to believe God’s Word and place their trust in Jesus Christ alone for their salvation. Also, since many Catholics do not realize everything that the Catholic church actually teaches (as I once did not realize until after doing research and reading the CCC), I thought that it was extremely important to share this information to make Catholics aware of many things that are quite disturbing, as you will all soon become aware of as this series continues.
2) This series of posts is also being written with the intention of helping those of you who are born-again, Bible believing followers of Jesus Christ who have no idea of what the teachings of Catholicism are so that you can become aware of their teachings and be prepared to offer hope and assurance of salvation through Jesus Christ to Catholics based solely upon the truth that is recorded in God’s Word.
As we continue on in this series together comparing Scriptures in the Catholic New Testament to teachings found in the Catechism of the Catholic Church, we must keep these important thoughts in mind:
When it comes to our eternal destination — heaven or hell — we must be certain that we place our trust in solid truth and not in speculation or in the traditions of men. The Catholic church claims to be the “one true Church.” Therefore, it stands to reason that their teachings must line up with God’s Word and not contradict it since God does not change (Malachi 3:6, James 1:17, Hebrews 13:8), and His Word stands firm forever. (Psalm 119:89, Isaiah 40:8, 1 Peter 1:24,25) If a contradiction is found it must be rejected because God’s Word is our plumb line by which we must measure (or test) the teachings of every religion to see if it lines up or not. If it is off in one point we can be certain that it will lead us further and further away from Biblical truth and lead us into spiritual deception.
This series will cover many different subjects ranging from what does the Catholic Church teach about the Bible, Jesus Christ, the Virgin Mary, priests, the pope, sin, forgiveness of sins, salvation, prayer, and what must a Catholic believe in order to receive eternal life. Some of these teachings will shock even many Catholics when they learn what their church actually teaches!
Lord willing, I hope to share at least one post every month with you in this new series until I have covered all the most important teachings that need to be brought to your attention. The main goal that I have in writing this series is to present the Word of God to Catholics — and to every person — in order to point everyone to Jesus Christ, who is our only hope and ‘the only name under heaven given among men by which we can be saved.’ (Acts 4:12)
Dear Catholic, please take a minute now to sincerely pray; ask God to open your mind to the Scriptures and to reveal the truth to you –whatever that may be.
Because only God can reveal the truth to you, I will refrain from making any comments unless I find it completely necessary. Since God’s Word is truth I trust that He will not only give you eyes to see the truth, but also I trust that He will give you the courage to respond to His leading. However, each one of you will find yourself having to answer this question when you come to many points that I present to you in these posts after realizing that there are oftentimes extreme differences between what the Word of God says and what Catholicism teaches, and the question that you will have to answer is:
“Are you going to believe the Word of God or the word of man?”
For those of you who are not Catholic, and are taking the time to read these posts in order to learn what Catholicism actually teaches, please keep in mind that every time you see the word “church” spelled with a capital c they are referring to the Catholic church, since they believe that the “Catholic Church” alone is the “one true Church.”All of the information that I will be sharing with you I have obtained from the following sources:
1) CATECHISM OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH (pictured above) – Imprimi Potest – Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger (who later became Pope Benedict) – Interdicasterial Commission for the Catechism of the Catholic Church
2) THE WORD OF GOD – THE NEW TESTAMENT OF OUR LORD AND SAVIOR IN TODAY’S ENGLISH VERSION – SACRED HEART LEAGUE EDITION – IMPRIMATUR JOHN FRANCIS WHEALON, ARCHBISHOP OF HARTFORD, APRIL 15, 1971 SIGNED AND SEALED BY BISHOP JOSEPH B. BRUNINI, DIOCESE OF JACKSON, MISSISSIPPI
3) Occasionally when I share a Scripture with you from the Sacred Heart League (SHL) Catholic New Testament and notice that it lacks depth and clarity, I will then follow it with the same verse but in the King James Version in order to give you a better understanding of what is being said, and so that you can see what is missing from the SHL translation.
4) Very briefly in this series, when it is necessary to quote from the Old Testament, I will also be quoting from THE CATHOLIC DOUAY RHEIMS VERSION OF THE BIBLE – in which you will find the following statements:
“EXCERPT FROM ENCYCLICAL LETTER OF OUR HOLY FATHER BY DIVINE PROVIDENCE POPE LEO XIII ON THE STUDY OF HOLY SCRIPTURE:
“The God of all Providence, Who in the adorable designs of His love at first elevated the human race to the participation of the Divine nature, and afterwards delivered it from the universal guilt and ruin, restoring it to its primitive dignity, has in consequence bestowed upon man a splendid gift and safeguard–making known to him, by supernatural means, the hidden Mysteries of His divinity, His wisdom, and His mercy. For although in Divine revelations there are contained some things which are not beyond the reach of unassisted reason, and which are made the objects of such revelation in order “that all may come to know them with facility, certainty, and safety from error, yet not on this account can supernatural Revelation be said to be absolutely necessary; it is only necessary because God has ordained man to a supernatural end.” This supernatural revelation according to the belief of the universal Church, is contained both in unwritten Tradition, and in written Books, which are therefore called sacred and canonical because, “being written under the inspiration of the Holy Ghost, they have God for their author, and as such have been delivered to the Church.” (Page ix)
“Wherefore it must be recognised that the sacred writings are wrapt in a certain religious obscurity, and that no one can enter into their interior without a guide; God so disposing, as the Holy Fathers commonly teach, in order that men may investigate them with greater ardour and earnestness, and that what is attained with difficulty may sink more deeply into the mind and heart; and, most of all that they may understand that God has delivered the Holy Scriptures to the Church, and that in reading and making use of His Word, they must follow the Church as their guide and their teacher. St. Irenaeus long since laid down, that where the charismata of God were, there the truth was to be learnt, and that Holy Scripture was safely interpreted by those who had the Apostolic succession. His teaching, and that of other Holy Fathers, is taken up by the Council of the Vatican, which, in the renewing of the decree of Trent, declares its “mind” to be this–that “in things of faith and morals, belonging to the building up of Christian doctrine, that is to be considered the true sense of Holy Scripture which has been held and is held by our Holy Mother the Church whose place it is to judge of the true sense and interpretation of the Scriptures; and therefore that it is permitted to no one to interpret Holy Scripture against such sense or also against the unanimous agreement of the Fathers.” (Page xvii)
“Wherefore the first and dearest object of the Catholic commentator should be to interpret those passages which have received an authentic interpretation either by the sacred writers themselves, under the inspiration of the Holy Ghost (as in many places of the New Testament), or from the Church, under the assistance of the same Holy Spirit, whether by her solemn judgment or her ordinary and universal magisterium –to interpret those passages in that identical sense, and to prove, by all the resources of science that sound hermeneutical laws admit of no other interpretation. In the other passages, the analogy of faith should be followed, and Catholic doctrine, as authoritatively proposed by the Church, should be held as the supreme law; for seeing that the same God is the author both of the Sacred Books and of the doctrine committed to the Church, it is clearly impossible that any teaching can by legitimate means be extracted from the former, which shall in any respect be at variance with the latter. Hence it follows that all interpretation is foolish and false which either makes the sacred writers disagree one with another, or is opposed to the doctrine of the Church.” (Page xviii)
“For although the studies of non-Catholics, used with prudence, may sometimes be of use to the Catholic student, he should nevertheless, bear well in mind–as the Fathers also teach in numerous passages –that the sense of Holy Scripture can nowhere be found incorrupt outside of the Church, and cannot be expected to be found in writers who, being without the true faith, only gnaw the bark of the Sacred Scripture and never attain its pith.” (Page xix)
As I have mentioned in some previous posts in this series, in order to get this entire series finished in a timely manner, I have tried to keep my comments very brief and mainly made them in the introduction and closing sections of these posts, which I also tried to do (for the most part) in this last post, although, as you will soon see, the section which contains my closing comments is extra lengthy because it is a summary of the very troubling contrast between some Catholic teachings that:
• Are based on Scriptures that are taken out of context.
• Are based on Catholic “Tradition” that has been added to Scripture which distorts and even changes the true meaning of the text that God intended to present to us.
• Outright contradict Scripture and the gloriously good news of the Biblical gospel that is so clearly presented in their very own Scriptures, which prevents precious Catholics from ever coming to the knowledge of all that Jesus Christ truly accomplished for us through His sinless life, His death in our place on the cross, His burial, and His glorious resurrection from the dead in bodily form three days later.
Although I tried very hard to limit each post in this series to no more than 5000 words, some of the teachings that I came across in the CCC were so shocking and troubling that it made it rather difficult at times to stick to a limit when these teachings needed to be exposed or further information needed to be added so that you could see the spiritual danger of these teachings in light of God’s freeing and wonderful truth as revealed in His Word. I did, however, continue to keep the main focus on Scripture in this final post, which is where it should be.
For those of you who have busy schedules and do not have the time to read lengthy posts, I have highlighted just some of the many troubling things in turquoise, the extremely troubling things are highlighted in red, where the Catholic church has added to Scripture with their teachings based on Catholic Tradition I have highlighted in amethyst, and some things that are Biblical I have highlighted in blue in order to quickly bring these things to your attention. [NOTE: Emphasis on certain words that I have put in bold print throughout this post is mine.]
INTRODUCTION TO PART 23
In this next section in the Catechism Of The Catholic Church we will be covering the last half of page 701 and we will continue on through until the end of page 756 which will finally bring us to the very end of the book. The focus of this section is a continuation on prayer, mainly on the Hail Mary, a prayer that is prayed by Catholics to Mary, and the Our Father.
As you read through this last post in this series, please note the unbiblical emphasis that the Catholic church, once again, puts on the virgin Mary in their teachings by how much they focus on her, (especially in this last section of the CCC), and how they add to and twist Scripture and elevate her to positions that the Mary of the Bible never claimed to have. As an important side note, you will, however, hear the entity who claims to be the ‘Virgin Mary’ in all of the alleged apparitions of the Virgin Mary (most of which have been approved by the Catholic church), say these types of things which you will find in Catholic teachings, such as referring to Mary as the: Mother of all Peoples, Mediatrix of all Graces, Co-Redemptrix, Queen of Heaven, etc. (To learn more and when time allows, please consider reading THIS SERIES regarding the alleged apparitions of the Virgin Mary that I hope to finish writing in March or April of this year –Lord willing.
Also, please note the mystical, sometimes sensual, experiential and completely unbiblical language that is sometimes used (divinize, real presence, rhythms of praying, interior prayer, silent love, contemplate God, becoming other Christs, etc.), as well as the emphasis that is placed on Lectio Divina and especially Contemplative Prayer, which are forms of prayer based on Eastern meditation practices that make these types of praying entirely unbiblical and not Christian at all!
Let’s begin:
ARTICLE 2
THE WAY OF PRAYER
Para 2663
“In the living tradition of prayer, each Church proposes to its faithful, according to its historic, social, and cultural context, a language for prayer: words, melodies, gestures, iconography. The Magisterium of the Church(15) has the task of discerning the fidelity of these ways of praying to the tradition of apostolic faith; it is for pastors and catechists to explain their meaning, always in relation to Jesus Christ. (15 – Cf. DV 10).
Prayer to the Father.
Para 2664
There is no other way of Christian prayer than Christ. Whether our prayer is communal or personal, vocal or interior, it has access to the Father only if we pray “in the name” of Jesus. The sacred humanity of Jesus is therefore the way by which the Holy Spirit teaches us to pray to God our Father.
“Come, Holy Spirit”
Para 2670
“No one can say ‘Jesus is Lord’ except by the Holy Spirit.”(21) Every time we begin to pray to Jesus it is the Holy Spirit who draws us on the way of prayer by his prevenient grace. Since he teaches us to pray by recalling Christ, how could we not pray to the Spirit too? That is why the Church invites us to call upon the Holy Spirit every day, especially at the beginning and the end of every important action.
If the Spirit should not be worshiped, how can he divinize me through Baptism? If he should be worshiped, should he not be the object of adoraton?(22) (21 – 1 Cor 12:3). (22 – St. Gregory of Nazianzus, Oratio 31, 28: PG 36, 165).
In communion with the Holy Mother of God
Para 2673
In prayer the Holy Spirit unites us to the person of the only Son, in his glorified humanity, through which and in which our filial prayer unites us in the Church with the Mother of Jesus.(27 – Cf. Acts 1:14)
Para 2674
Mary gave her consent in faith at the Annunciation and maintained it without hesitation at the foot of the Cross. Ever since, her motherhood has extended to the brothers and sisters of her Son, who “still journey on earth surrounded by dangers and difficulties.”(28) Jesus, the only mediator, is the way of our prayer; Mary, his mother and ours, is wholly transparent to him; she “shows the way” (hodigitria), and is herself “the Sign” of the way, according to the traditional iconography of East and West. (28 – LG 62).
Para 2675
Beginning with Mary’s unique cooperation with the working of the Holy Spirit, the Churches developed their prayer to the holy Mother of God, centering it on the person of Christ manifested in his mysteries. In countless hymns and antiphons expressing this prayer, two movements usually alternate with one another: the first “magnifies” the Lord for the “great things” he did for his lowly servant and through her for all human beings;(29) the second entrusts the supplications and praises of the children of God to the Mother of Jesus, because she now knows the humanity which, in her, the Son of God espoused. (Cf. Lk. 1:46-55).
Para 2676
This twofold movement of prayer to Mary has found a privileged expression in the Ave Maria.
Full of grace, the Lord is with thee: These two phrases of the angel’s greeting shed light on one another. Mary is full of grace because the Lord is with her. The grace with which she is filled is the presence of him who is the source of all grace. “Rejoice…O daughter of Jerusalem…the Lord your God is in your midst.”(31) Mary, in whom the Lord himself has just made his dwelling, is the daughter of Zion in person, the ark of the covenant, the place where the glory of the Lord dwells. She is “the dwelling of God…with men.“(32) (31 – Zeph 3:14, 17a). (32 – Rev 21:3).
Blessed art thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb Jesus. After the angel’s greeting, we make Elizabeth’s greeting our own. “Filled with the Holy Spirit,” Elizabeth is the first in the long succession of generations who have called Mary “blessed.”( 33) “Blessed is she who believed…”(34) Mary is “blessed among women” because she believed in the fulfillment of the Lord’s word. Abraham, because of his faith, became a blessing for all the nations of the earth. Mary, because of her faith, became the mother of believers, through whom all nations of the earth receive him who is God’s own blessing: Jesus, the fruit of thy womb.”(33 – Luke 1:41,48) (34 – Luke 1:45)
Para 2677
Holy Mary, Mother of God: With Elizabeth we marvel, “And why is this granted me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?”(36) Because she gives us Jesus, her son, Mary is Mother of God and our mother; we can trust all our cares and petitions to her: she prays for us as she prayed for herself: “Let it be to me according to your word.”(37) By entrusting ourselves to her prayer, we abandon ourselves to the will of God together with her: “Thy will be done.”(36 – Luke 1:43). (37 – Luke 1:38).
Pray for us sinners,now and at the hour of our death: By asking Mary to pray for us, we acknowledge ourselves to be poor sinners and we address ourselves to the “Mother of Mercy,” the All-Holy One. We give ourselves over to her now, in the Today of our lives, and our trust broadens further, already at the present moment to “surrender the hour of our death” wholly to her care. May she be there as she was at her son’s death on the cross. May she welcome us as our mother at the hour of our passing(38) to lead us to her son, Jesus, in paradise. (38 – Cf. John 19:27)
Para 2679
Mary is the perfect Orans (pray-er), a figure of the Church. When we pray to her, we are adhering with her to the plan of the Father, who sends his Son to save all men. Like the beloved disciple we welcome Jesus’ mother into our homes, for she has become mother of all the living. We can pray with and to her.The prayer of the Church is sustained by the prayer of Mary and united with it in hope.(40 – Cf. LG 68-69).
Para 2682
Because of Mary’s singular cooperation with the action of the Holy Spirit, the Church loves to pray in communion with the Virgin Mary, to magnify with her the great things the Lord has done for her, and to entrust supplications and praises to her.
ARTICLE 3
GUIDES FOR PRAYER
A cloud of witnesses
Para 2683
The witnesses who have preceded us into the kingdom,(41) especially those whom the Church recognizes as saints, share in the living tradition of prayer by the example of their lives, the transmission of their writings, and their prayer today. They contemplate God, praise him and constantly care for those whom they have left on earth. When they entered into the joy of their Master, they were “put in charge of many things.”(42) Their intercession is their most exalted service to God’s plan. We can and should ask them to intercede for us and for the whole world. (41 – Cf. Heb 12:1). (42 – Cf. Mt 25:21).
Servants of prayer
Para 2687
Many religious have consecrated their whole lives to prayer. Hermits, monks, and nuns since the time of the desert fathers have devoted their time to praising God and interceding for his people. The consecrated life cannot be sustained or spread without prayer; it is one of the living sources of contemplation and the spiritual life of the Church.
Para 2690
The Holy Spirit gives to certain of the faithful the gifts of wisdom, faith, and discernment for the sake of this common good which is prayer (spiritual direction). Men and women so endowed are true servants of the living tradition of prayer.
According to St. John of the Cross, the person wishing to advance toward perfection should “take care into whose hands he entrusts himself, for as the master is, so will the disciple be, and as the father is so will be the son.” And further: “In addition to being learned and discreet a director should be experienced…if the spiritual director has no experience of the spiritual life, he will be incapable of leading into it the souls whom God is calling to it, and he will not even understand them.”(47 – St. John of the Cross,The Living Flame of Love, stanza 3, 30, in The Collected Works of St. John of the Cross eds K. Kavanaugh OCD and O. Rodriguez OCD (Washington DC: Institute of Carmelite Studies, 1979), 621.
Places favorable for prayer
Para 2691
The Church, the house of God, is the proper place for the liturgical prayer of the parish community. It is also the privileged place for adoration of the real presence of Christ in the Blessed Sacrament.
–For personal prayer, this can be a “prayer corner” with the Sacred Scriptures and icons, in order to be there, in secret, before our Father.(48 – Cf. Mt 6:6).
CHAPTER THREE
THE LIFE OF PRAYER
Para 2698
The Tradition of the Church proposes to the faithful certain rhythms of praying intended to nourish continual prayer. Some are daily, such as morning and evening prayer, grace before and after meals, the Liturgy of the Hours. Sundays, centered on the Eucharist, and kept holy primarily by prayer. The cycle of the liturgical year and its great feasts are also basic rhythms of the Christian’s life of prayer.
Para 2699
The Lord leads all persons by paths and in ways pleasing to him, and each believer responds according to his heart’s resolve and the personal expressions of his prayer. However, Christian Tradition has retained three major expressions of prayer: vocal, meditative, and contemplative.
ARTICLE 1
EXPRESSIONS OF PRAYER
II. MEDITATION
Para 2705
Meditation is above all a quest. The mind seeks to understand the why and how of the Christian life in order to adhere and respond to what the Lord is asking. The required attentiveness is difficult to sustain. We are usually helped by books, and Christians do not want for them: the Sacred Scriptures, particularly the Gospels, holy icons, liturgical texts of the day or season, writings of the spiritual fathers, works of spirituality, the great book of creation, and that of history–the page on which the “today” of God is written.
Para 2708
Meditation engages thought, imagination, emotion, and desire. This mobilization of faculties is necessary in order to deepen our convictions of faith, prompt the conversation of our heart, and strengthen our will to follow Christ. Christian prayer tries above all to meditate on the mysteries of Christ, as in lectio divina or the rosary. This form of prayerful reflection is of great value, but Christian prayer should go further: to the knowledge of the love of the Lord Jesus, to union with him.
III. CONTEMPLATIVE PRAYER
Para 2709
What is contemplative prayer?St. Teresa answers: “Contemplative prayer [Oración mental] in my opinion is nothing else than a close sharing between friends; it means taking time frequently to be alone with him who we know loves us.”(6)
Contemplative prayer seeks him “whom my soul loves.”(7) It is Jesus, and in him, the Father. We seek him, because to desire him is always the beginning of love, and we seek him in that pure faith which causes us to be born of him and to live in him. In this inner prayer we can still meditate, but our attention is fixed on the Lord himself. (6 – St. Teresa of Jesus, The Book of Her Life, 8, 5 in the Collected Works of St. Teresa of Avila, tr. K. Kavanough, OCD, and O. Rodriguez, OCD (Washington DC Institute of Carmelite Studies, 1976), I. 67. (7 – Song 1:7; cf. 3:1-4).
Para 2710
The choice of the time and duration of the prayer arises from a determined will, revealing the secrets of the heart. One does not undertake contemplative prayer only when one has the time: one makes the time for the Lord, with the firm determination not to give up, no matter what trials and dryness one may encounter. One cannot always meditate, but one can always enter into inner prayer, independently of the conditions of health, work, or emotional stress. The heart is the place of this quest and encounter, in poverty and in faith.
Para 2711
Entering into contemplative prayer is like entering into the Eucharistic liturgy: we “gather up” the heart, recollect our whole being under the prompting of the Holy Spirit, abide in the dwelling place of the Lord which we are, awaken our faith in order to enter into the presence of him who awaits us. We let our masks fall and turn our hearts back to the Lord who loves us, so as to hand ourselves over to him as an offering to be purified and transformed.
Para 2714
Contemplative prayer is also the pre-eminently intense time of prayer. In it the Father strengthens our inner being with power through his Spirit “that Christ may dwell in (our) hearts through faith” and we may be “grounded in love.”(10 – Eph 3:16-17)
Para 2715
Contemplation is a gaze of faith, fixed on Jesus, “I look at him and he looks at me” : this is what a certain peasant of Ars in the time of his holy curé used to say while praying before the tabernacle. This focus on Jesus is a renunciation of self. His gaze purifies our heart; the light of the countenance of Jesus illumines the eyes of our heart and teaches us to see everything in the light of his truth and his compassion for all men. Contemplation also turns its gaze on the mysteries of the life of Christ. Thus it learns the “interior knowledge of our Lord,” the more to love him and follow him.(11 – Cf. St. Ignatius of Loyola, Spiritual Exercises, 104).
Para 2717
Contemplative prayer is silence, the “symbol of the world to come”(12) or “silent love.”(13) Words in this kind of prayer are not speeches; they are like kindling that feeds the fire of love. In this silence, unbearable to the “outer” man, the Father speaks to us his incarnate Word, who suffered, died, and rose; in this silence the Spirit of adoption enables us to share in the prayer of Jesus. (12 – Cf. St. Isaac of Nineveh, Tract myst. 66). (13 – St. John of the Cross, Maxims and Counsels, 53 in The Collected Works of St. John of the Cross, tr. K. Kavanough, OCD, and O. Rodriguez, OCD (Washington DC: Institute of Carmelite Studies, 1979),678.
Para 2718
Contemplative prayer is a union with the prayer of Christ insofar as it makes us participate in his mystery. The mystery of Christ is celebrated by the Church in the Eucharist, and the Holy Spirit makes it come alive in contemplative prayer so that our charity will manifest it in our acts.
ARTICLE 2
THE BATTLE OF PRAYER
Para 2725
Prayer is both a gift of grace and a determined response on our part. It always presupposes effort. The great figures of prayer of the Old Covenant before Christ, as well as the Mother of God, the saints, and he himself, all teach us this: prayer is a battle. Against whom? Against ourselves and against the wiles of the tempter who does all he can to turn man away from prayer, from union with God.
I. OBJECTIONS TO PRAYER
Para 2726
In the battle of prayer, we must face in ourselves and around us, erroneous notions of prayer. Some people view prayer as a simple psychological activity, others as an effort of concentration to reach a mental void. Still others reduce prayer to ritual words and postures. Many Christians unconsciously regard prayer as an occupation that is incompatible with all of the other things they have to do: they “don’t have the time.” Those who seek God by prayer are quickly discouraged because they do not know that prayer comes also from the Holy Spirit and not from themselves alone.
II. HUMBLE VIGILANCE OF HEART
Para 2729
The habitual difficulty in prayer is distraction. It can affect words and their meaning in vocal prayer; it can concern more profoundly, him to whom we are praying, in vocal prayer (liturgical or personal), meditation, and contemplative prayer. To set about hunting down distractions would be to fall into their trap, when all that is necessary is to turn back to our heart; for a distraction reveals to us what we are attached to, and this humble awareness before the Lord should awaken our preferential love for him and lead us resolutely to offer him our heart to be purified. Therein lies the battle, the choice of which master to serve.”(16 – Cf. Mt 6:21, 24).
III. FILIAL TRUST
Para 2736
Are we convinced that “we do not know how to pray as we ought”?(23) Are we asking God for “what is good for us”? Our Father knows what we need before we ask him,(24) but he awaits our petition because the dignity of his children lies in their freedom. We must pray, then, with his Spirit of freedom, to be able truly to know what he wants.(25) (23 – Rom 8:26). (24 – Cf. Mt 6:8). (25 – Cf. Rom 8:27).
Para 2737
“You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions.”(26) If we ask with a divided heart, we are “adulterers”;(27) God cannot answer us, for he desires our well being, our life. “Or do you suppose that it is in vain that the scripture says, ‘He yearns jealously over the spirit which he has made to dwell in us?’ “(28) That our God is “jealous” for us is the sign of how true his love is. If we enter into the desire of his Spirit, we shall be heard.
Do not be troubled if you do not immediately receive from God what you ask him; for he desires to do something even greater for you, while you cling to him in prayer.(29)
God wills that our desire should be exercised in prayer, that we may be able to receive what he is prepared to give.(30) (26 – Jas 4:3; cf. the whole context: Jam 4:1-10; 1:5-8; 5:16). (27 – Jas 4:4). (28 – Jas 4:5) (29 – Evagrius Ponticus, De oratione) (30 – St. Augustine, Ep 130, 8, 17: PL 33, 500).
Para 2741
Jesus also prays for us–in our place and on our behalf. All our petitions were gathered up, once for all, in his cry on the Cross and, in his Resurrection, heard by the Father. This is why he never ceases to intercede for us with the Father.(32) If our prayer is resolutely united with that of Jesus, in trust and boldness as children, we obtain all that we ask in his name, even more than any particular thing: the Holy Spirit himself, who contains all gifts. (32 – Cf. Heb 5:7; 7:25; 9:24).
ARTICLE 3
THE PRAYER OF THE HOUR OF JESUS
Para 2749
Jesus fulfilled the work of the Father completely; his prayer, like his sacrifice, extends until the end of time.
SECTION TWO
ARTICLE 1
“THE SUMMARY OF THE WHOLE GOSPEL”
Para 2763
All the Scriptures –the Law, the Prophets, and the Psalms–are fulfilled in Christ.(10) The Gospel is the “Good New.” Its first proclamation is summarized by St. Matthew in the Sermon on the Mount;(11) the prayer to our Father is at the center of this proclamation. It is in this context that each petition bequeathed to us by the Lord is illuminated.(10 – Cf. Lk 24:44). (11 – Cf. Mt 5-7).
ARTICLE 2
“OUR FATHER WHO ART IN HEAVEN”
Para 2782
We can adore the Father because he has caused us to be reborn to his life by adopting us as his children in his only Son: by Baptism, he incorporates us into the Body of his Christ; through the anointing of his Spirit who flows from the head to the members, he makes us other “Christs.”
God, indeed, who has predestined us to adoption as his sons, has conformed us to the glorious Body of Christ. So then you who have become sharers in Christ are appropriately called “Christs.”(34 – St. Cyril of Jerusalem, Catech. myst. 3, 1: PG 33, 1088A).
Para 2783
Thus the Lord’s Prayer reveals us to ourselves at the same time that it reveals the Father to us.(36)
O man, you did not dare to raise your face to heaven, you lowered your eyes to the earth, and suddenly you have received the grace of Christ: all your sins have been forgiven. From being a wicked servant you have become a good son…Then raise your eyes to the Father who has begotten you through Baptism, to the Father who has redeemed you through his Son, and say: “Our Father…” But do not claim any privilege. He is the Father in a special way only of Christ, but he is the common Father of us all, because while he has begotten only Christ, he has created us. Then also say by his grace, “Our Father,” so that you may merit being his son.(37) (36 – Cf. GS 22 § 1) (37 – St. Ambrose, De Sacr. 5, 4, 19: PL 16:450-451).
Para 2791
For this reason, in spite of the divisions among Christians, this prayer to “our” Father remains our common patrimony and an urgent summons for all the baptized. In communion by faith in Christ and by Baptism, they ought to join in Jesus’ prayer for the unity of his disciples.(50 – Cf. UR 8; 22).
Para 2798
We can invoke God as “Father” because the Son of God made man has revealed him to us. In this Son, through Baptism, we are incorporated and adopted as sons of God.
Para 2813
In the waters of Baptism, we have been “washed…sanctified…justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God.”(79).
By whom is God hallowed, since he is the one who hallows? But since he said, “You shall be holy to me; for I the LORD am holy,” we seek and ask that we who were sanctified in Baptism may persevere in what we have begun to be.(81) (79 – 1 Cor 6:11). (81 – St. Cyprian,De Dom,orat. 12: PL 4, 527A; Lev 20:26).
NOTE: In context, let’s take a look at the verse that they cite as their basis for teaching that a person is sanctified in Baptism –1 Corinthians 6:11:
“Surely you know that the wicked shall not receive God’s Kingdom. Do not fool yourselves; people who are immoral, or worship idols, or adulterers, or homosexual perverts, or who rob, or are greedy, or are drunkards, or who slander others, or are thieves–none of these will receive God’s Kingdom. Some of you were like that. But you have been cleansed from sin; you have been dedicated to God; you have been put right with God through the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.” (1 Corinthians 6:9-11 – Sacred Heart League Catholic New Testament – SHLCNT)
Here is the same passage of Scripture in the Douay-Rheims Catholic Version:
“Know you not that the unjust shall not possess the kingdom of God? Do not err: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, Nor the effeminate, nor liers with mankind, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor railers, nor extortioners, shall possess the kingdom of God. And such some of you were; but you are washed, but you are sanctified, but you are justified in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the Spirit of our God.” (1 Corinthians 6:9-11 – DRV)
In their proper context we see that there is no mention of baptism or water. The truth in this verse clearly speaks for itself; we are sanctified/cleansed from sin through Jesus Christ, and not by baptism as Catholic Tradition teaches.
Let’s take a look at some verses in the Word of God that clearly show us how we become sanctified. As you read them, please note the completeness and finality of Jesus Christ’s once for all sacrifice:
“First he said, “You neither want nor are you pleased with sacrifices and offerings, or with animals burned on the altar and the sacrifices to take away sins.” He said this even though all these sacrifices are offered according to the Law. Then he said, “Here I am, God, to do what you want me to do.” So God does away with all the old sacrifices and puts the sacrifice of Christ in their place. Because Jesus Christ did what God wanted him to do, we are all made clean (sanctified) from sin by the offering that he made of his own body, once and for all. (Hebrews 10:8-10 – SHLCNT)
Here is the same passage of Scripture in the Douay-Rheims Catholic Version:
“In saying before, Sacrifices, and oblations, and holocausts for sin thou wouldest not, neither are they pleasing to thee, which are offered according to the law. Then said I: Behold, I come to do thy will, O God: he taketh away the first, that he may establish that which followeth. In the which will, we are sanctified by the oblation of the body of Jesus Christ once.” (Hebrews 10:8-10 DRV)
Here is another passage of Scripture that clearly shows it is by the blood of Jesus — by fully placing our trust in His once for all sacrifice — that we become sanctified:
“The Jewish High Priest brings the blood of the animals into the Most Holy Place to offer it as a sacrifice for sins; but the bodies of the animals are burned outside the camp. For this reason Jesus also died outside the city gate in order to cleanse (sanctify) the people from sin with his own blood.” (Hebrews 13:11,12 – SHLCNT)
Here is how the above passage of Scripture reads in the Douay-Rheims Catholic Version:
“For the bodies of those beasts, whose blood is brought into the holies by the high priest for sin, are burned without the camp. Wherefore Jesus also, that he might sanctify the people by his own blood, suffered without the gate.
Let’s continue:
II. THY KINGDOM COME
Para 2820
By a discernment according to the Spirit, Christians have to distinguish between the growth of the Reign of God and the progress of the culture and society in which they are involved. This distinction is not a separation. Man’s vocation to eternal life does not suppress, but actually reinforces, his duty to put into action in this world the energies and means received from the Creator to serve justice and peace.(93 – Cf. GS 22; 32; 39; 45; EN 31).
Para 2821:
This petition is taken up and granted in the prayer of Jesus which is present and effective in the Eucharist; it bears its fruit in the new life in keeping with the Beatitudes.(94 Cf. Jn 17:17-20; Mt 5:13-16; 6:24; 7:12-13).
III. THY WILL BE DONE ON EARTH AS IT IS IN HEAVEN
Para 2824
In Christ, and through his human will, the will of the Father has been perfectly fulfilled once for all. Jesus said on entering into this world, “Lo, I have come to do your will, O God.”(99) Only Jesus can say: “I always do what is pleasing to him.”(100) In the prayer of his agony, he consents totally to this will: “not my will but yours be done.”(101) For this reason Jesus “gave himself for our sins to deliver us from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father.(102) And by that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.” (99 – Heb 10:7; Ps 40:7). (100 – Jn 8:29). (101 – Lk 22:42; cf. Jn 4:34; 5:30; 6:38). (102 – Gal 1:4).
NOTE: They may profess that we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus once for all, but in their continual offering of the sacrificeof the Mass (which they say is truly propitiatory), they completely deny the sufficiency of Jesus Christ’s once for all sacrifice.
Continuing on:
Para 2827
“If anyone is a worshiper of God and does his will, God listens to him.”(110) Such is the power of the Church’s prayer in the name of her Lord, above all in the Eucharist.Her prayer is also a communion of intercession with the all-holy Mother of God(111) and all the saints who have been pleasing to the Lord because they willed his will alone. (110 – Jn 9:31; cf. 1 Jn 5:14). (111 – Cf. Lk 1:38; 49).
Para 2832
As leaven in the dough, the newness of the kingdom should make the earth “rise” by the Spirit of Christ.(119) This must be shown by the establishment of justice in personal and social, economic and economic relations, without ever forgetting that there are no just structures without people who want to be just.” (119 – Cf. AA 5).
Para 2835
There is a famine on earth, “not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the Lord.”(124) For this reason the specifically Christian sense of this fourth petition concerns the Bread of Life: The Word of God accepted in faith, the Body of Christ received in the Eucharist.(125) (124 – Amos 8:11) (125 – Cf. Jn 6:26-58)
Para 2837
“Daily” (epiousios) occurs nowhere else in the New Testament. Taken in a temporal sense, this word is a pedagogical repetition of “this day”(128) to confirm us in trust “without reservation.” Taken in the qualitative sense, it signifies what is necessary for life, and more broadly every good thing sufficient for subsistence. (129) Taken literally (epi-ousios: “super essential”), it refers directly to the Bread of Life, the Body of Christ, the “medicine of immortality,” without which we have no life within us.(130) Finally in this connection, its heavenly meaning is evident: “this day” is the Day of the Lord, the day of the feast of the kingdom, anticipated in the Eucharist that is already the foretaste of the kingdom to come. For this reason it is fitting for the Eucharist liturgy to be celebrated each day.
The Eucharist is our daily bread. The power belonging to this divine food makes it a bond of union. Its effect is then understood as unity, so that, gathered into his Body and made members of him, we may become what we receive…This also is our daily bread: the readings you hear each day in church and the hymns you hear and sing. All these things are necessities for our pilgrimage.(131) The Father in heaven urges us, as children of heaven, to ask for the bread of heaven. [Christ] himself is the bread who, sown in the Virgin, raised up in the flesh, kneaded in the Passion, baked in the oven of the tomb, reserved in churches, brought to altars, furnishes the faithful each day with food from heaven.(132) (128 – Cf. Ex 16:19-21) (129 – Cf. 1 Tim 6:8). (130 – St. Ignatius of Antioch Ad Eph. 20, 2: PG 5, 661; Jn 6:53-56) (131 – St. Augustine, Sermo 57, 7: PL 38, 389). (132 – St. Peter Chrysologus, Sermo 67: PL 52, 392; cf. Jn 6:51).
V. “AND FORGIVE US OUR TRESPASSES, AS WE FORGIVE THOSE WHO TRESPASS AGAINST US”
Para 2839
With bold confidence, we began praying to our Father. In begging him that his name be hallowed, we were in fact asking him that we ourselves might be always made more holy. But though we are clothed with the baptismal garment, we do not cease to sin, to turn away from God. Now, in this new petition, we return to him like the prodigal son and, like the tax collector, recognize that we are sinners before him.(133) Our petition begins with a “confession” of our wretchedness and his mercy. Our hope is firm because, in his Son, “we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.”(134) We find the efficacious and undoubted sign of his forgiveness in the sacraments of his Church.(135) (133 – Cf. Lk 15:11-32; 18:13). (134 – Col 1:14; Eph 1:7). (135 – Cf. Mt 26:28; Jn 20:23).
Para 2845
The communion of the Holy Trinity is the source and criterion of truth in every relationship. It is lived out in prayer, above all in the Eucharist.(148 – Cf. Mt 5:23-24; 1 Jn 3:19-24).
VI. AND LEAD US NOT INTO TEMPTATION
Para 2846
This petition goes to the root of the preceding one, for our sins result from our consenting to temptation; we therefore ask our Father not to “lead” us into temptation. It is difficult to translate the Greek verb used by a single English word: the Greek means both “do not allow us to enter into temptation” and “do not let us yield to temptation.”(150) “God cannot be tempted by evil and he himself tempts no one.”;(151) on the contrary, he wants to set us free from evil. We ask him not to allow us to take the way that leads to sin. We are engaged in the battle “between flesh and spirit”; this petition implores the Spirit of discernment and strength.
Para 2852
“A murderer from the beginning…a liar and the father of lies,” Satan is “the deceiver of the whole world.”(165) Through him sin and death entered into the world and by his definitive defeat all creation will be “freed from the corruption of sin and death.”(166) Now “we know that anyone born of God does not sin, but He who was born of God keeps him, and the evil one does not touch him. We know that we are of God, and the whole world is in the power of the evil one.”(167) (165 – Jn 8:44; Rev 12:9). (166 – Roman Missal Eucharistic Prayer IV. 125). (167 – 1 Jn 5:18,19).
Para 2853
Victory over the “prince of this world” was won once for at the Hour when Jesus freely gave himself up to death to give us his life. This is the judgment of this world, and the prince of this world is “cast out.”(170) “He pursued the woman”(171) but had no hold on her: the new Eve, “full of grace” of the Holy Spirit, is preserved from sin and the corruption of death (the Immaculate Conception and the Assumption of the Most Holy Mother of God,Mary, ever virgin). “Then the dragon was angry with the woman, and went off to make war on the rest of her offspring.”(172) Therefore the Spirit and the Church pray: “Come, Lord Jesus,”(173) since his coming will deliver us from the Evil One. (170 – Jn 12:31; Rev 12:10). (171 – Rev 12:13-16). (172 – Rev 12:17). (173 – Rev 22:17,20).
This brings us to the end of the Catechism Of The Catholic Church. Throughout this series I have tried to clearly point out to you how the Catholic church does not place their emphasis on Jesus Christ and the sufficiency of His once for all sacrifice that paid the debt for all sin in full in their teachings.
I have also tried to show you from their own teachings how they twist and distort God’s Word by adding to Scripture instead of basing their teachings on the clear truths presented in Scripture, and how they oftentimes back up their teachings by sharing quotes from Catholic mystics of the past and mystical teachings of monks, known as the desert fathers.
Throughout this series, regarding the Catechism Of The Catholic Church, you have seen how terms such as Contemplative Prayer, Lectio Divina, desert fathers, spiritual director, silent prayer along with “saints”/people such as St. John of the Cross, St. Teresa of Avila, St. Ignatius of Loyola, etc., have been mentioned quite innocently. But as I have tried to document for you throughout this series, these terms and people will lead Catholics and others (who are not aware of the spiritual dangers of Contemplative prayer and what these “saints” and desert fathers believed, taught, and experienced), slowly into the world of the occult!
To refresh your memory, and for those of you who may not have read any previous posts in this series, here is some information on Contemplative Prayer, St. John of the Cross, and St. Teresa of Avila, and more:
INFORMATION ON THE UNBIBLICAL NATURE OF SACRED RHYTHMS AND CO-FOUNDER AND PRESIDENT OT THE TRANSFORMING CENTER, RUTH HALEY BARTON, WHO PROMOTES THIS, AMONG MANY OTHER PROFESSING CHRISTIAN LEADERS:
Below is a quick capture of some information regarding St. John of the Cross in which you can see that he promoted Contemplative Meditation and unionwith God, terms that can both be found in Eastern religions, not Biblical Christianity. His writings, such as, ‘The Ascent Of Mount Carmel’ and ‘Dark Night Of TheSoul,’ promote mysticism.
Very troubling information on mystic, Teresa of Avila, can be seen in the following video starting at the 24:55 minute mark and ending at the 34:14 minute mark. However, the entire video is well worth watching.
Now I’d now like to share some information with you from a tract that was written by a former Roman Catholic priest, Bartholomew F. Brewer, PH.D., regarding the central focus of Catholicism –the Sacrifice of the Mass. Back in 1980, right after I just became a Christian, I sent away for some information from Mission To Catholics International Inc., and this was one of many tracts that I received.
Although the information in this tract is deeply rooted in Scripture, some Catholics who read this may find what he has to say to be rather harsh. However, when your eternal destiny is at stake regarding what you choose to believe and to place your trust in for the forgiveness of your sins, the truth is what’s most important, and he clearly shares the truth based on the Word of God regarding some of the troubling teachings of Catholicism that denies the sufficiency of Jesus Christ’s once for all sacrifice to pay the debt for all sin –in full!
NOTE: The following information has been added for documentational purposes only and is not necessarily an endorsement of Bart Brewer since I am not aware of all his beliefs and whether they all line up with Scripture or not.]
THE ROMAN CATHOLIC SACRIFICE OF THE MASS
The sacrifice of the Mass is the very heart of Roman Catholic faith. It is the most beautiful, the most sacred part of Catholic worship. “It is the secret of her holiness and vitality.” Saint Francis De Sales said it is “the mainspring of devotion.” According to Pope Urban, if the angels could envy man anything, it would be his power to offer the Holy Sacrifice. Cardinal Newman called it “the greatest action that can be on earth.”
OFFICIAL CATHOLIC TEACHING
The Church of Rome teaches –(1) that at the Last Supper, Christ instituted the Mass, a true, visible, sacrifice…; (2) that Christ bequeathed the Mass to His Church…to be of avail for the remission of sins and the punishment due them, and the benefit of the living and the dead; (3) that Christ established a special priesthood for its celebration; (4) that Christ, through the ministry of His priests, offers Himself in the Mass as He offered Himself on the cross; but that, whereas He offered Himself in a bloody manner on the cross, He offers Himself in an unbloody manner in the Mass; (5) that, this difference apart, the sacrifice of the Mass is the same sacrifice as that of the cross, for there is the same Priest, the same Victim and the same Offering. Rome teaches that just as the sacrifice of Calvary was prefigured in the Jewish sacrifices, so it is continued in the Mass in its essentials as a sacrifice. Catholic doctrine teaches that through the sacrifice of the Mass a friend of God receives the appeasement of God’s anger, the extinction of the debt of temporal punishment and the reception of blessings, which include an increase of Sanctifying Grace, Through the Mass, one’s acts of adoration, praise, thanksgiving, atonement, satisfaction and petition receive a new and special efficacy. In the sacrifice of the Mass one is said to receive, more surely that through any other means, the grace of contrition in the hour of need, the grace of more perfect sanctity, and all temporal blessings not in conflict with one’s spiritual well-being.
FIFTH ARTICLE OF THE CREED OF POPE PIUS IV
“I profess likewise that in the Mass there is offered to God a true, proper, and propitiatory sacrifice for the living and the dead. And that in the most holy sacrament of the Eucharist there is truly, really, and substantially the blood, together with the soul and divinity, of our Lord Jesus Christ; and that there is made a conversion of the whole substance of the bread into the body, and of the whole substance of the wine into the blood, which conversion of the Catholic Church calleth Transubstantiation. I also confess that under either kind alone Christ is received whole and entire, and a true sacrament.”
THE COUNCIL OF TRENT
The canons of the Council of Trent on this subject passed in session xxii. cap. ii are as follows:
1. “If any one shall say, that in the Mass there is not offered to God a true and proper sacrifice, or that what is offered is nothing else than Christ given to be eaten, let him be anathema.”
2. “If any one shall say that in those words, This do in remembrance of Me, Christ did not make the apostles priests, or did not ordain that they themselves and other priests should offer His body and blood, let him be anathema.”
3.”If any one shall say that the sacrifice of the Mass is only of praise and thanksgiving, or a bare commemoration of the sacrifice performed on the cross, but not propitiatory; or that it is of benefit only to the person who takes it, and ought not to be offered for the living and the dead for sins, punishments, satisfactions, and other necessities, let him be accursed.”
4. “If any one shall say that a blasphemy is ascribed to the most holy sacrifice of Christ performed on the cross by the sacrifice of the Mass, or the latter derogates from the former, let him be accursed.”
PRONOUNCEMENT FROM VATICAN II
“At the Last Supper…our Saviour instituted the Eucharistic Sacrifice of His Body and Blood. He did this in order to perpetuate the sacrifice of the Cross…” p. 154, The Documents of Vatican II, Walter M. Abbott, S. J.
CATHOLIC PROOF – TEXTS EXPLAINED
Malachi 1:11: “From the rising of the sun even to the going down of the same my name shall be great among the Gentiles; and in every place incense shall be offered unto my name, and a pure offering.”
Roman Catholic authorities claim that this prophecy is fulfilled in the sacrifice of the Mass. However, a close look at the meaning of this verse indicates not a literal, external offering, but a spiritual, internal offering. David declared in Psalm 51:17 that “the sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart.” Peter admonished the people of God to offer up spiritual sacrifices (1 Peter 2:5), praises of Him who hath called you out of darkness into His marvelous light (v. 9). The author of Hebrews speaks of spiritual sacrifices as praise, thanksgiving and alms-giving (13:15,16). The Christians in Rome were admonished to present their bodies (i.e. their whole being) as living sacrifices (Romans 12:1). Catholic authorities say that the Hebrew word for offering (mincha) refers to the unbloody sacrifice of the Mass, but in 1 Samuel 2:17 the word mincha is used in reference to a bloody sacrifice and in Isaiah 66:20 the company of God’s people constitutes the mincha. One cannot, therefore, use this verse to substantiate evidence in favor of the sacrifice of the Mass.
Romans 15:16b: “…that the offering up of the Gentiles might be acceptable, being sanctified by the Holy Ghost…”
Again the offering of the Gentiles was a spiritual, internal sacrifice, that of obedience in word and deed (v. 18).
Genesis 14:18: “And Melchizedek king of Salem brought forth bread and wine: and he was a priest of the most high God.”
One cannot assume that this verse speaks of a sacrifice offered to God. Melchizedek was a priest of God and he brought bread and wine, not for a sacrifice but for the refreshment of Abram and his men returning from battle. Cyprian was the earliest of the post-apostolic fathers to teach that Melchizedek was a sacrificer but there is no Biblical reference of Melchizedek offering sacrifice (see Hebrews 7).
1 Corinthians 11:24b: “This do in remembrance of me.”
Catholics are taught that in this verse Jesus was, in effect, saying, “As I have now offered My body and blood under the appearances of bread and wine as a sacrifice, so must you offer in sacrifice My body and blood in every celebration of this sacrament.” Rome teaches that with these words Jesus made the apostles priests and gave Himself as a perpetual victim whom they were to sacrifice daily. It is estimated that there are more than 200,000 sacrifices offered on Roman altars around the world each day of the week. What a perversion of the common expression “this do” which in this context simply means that God’s people are to partake of the bread and wine as a reminder (not a perpetuation) of Christ’s atonement.
John 19:30: “It is finished.”
According to a Roman Catholic priest, Richard W. Grace, in his book, “The Sacrifice of Christ,” “These words do not declare that His sacrifice was finished, but that He had finished His former, normal, earthly life and was now fixed in the state of a victim…He then began His everlasting career as the perpetual sacrifice of the New Law.”
According to Rome, the sacrifice of Christ was completed on Calvary, but not finished, i.e. He must be perpetually sacrificed in the Mass. However, it is not the blood sacrifice of the Cross that is repeated, but the so-called unbloody sacrifice of the upper room, the sacrifice of His flesh and blood under the appearance of bread and wine. It was the shedding of Jesus’ blood that brought remission of sin. That sacrifice was finished as He said and Hebrews 9:22 later tells us that apart from the shedding of blood there is no remission of sin. Therefore, what took place in the upper room was not a sacrifice but an explanation of the sacrifice that was to take place and since admittedly, there is no blood in the sacrifice of the Mass, it cannot be a sacrifice for sin.
John 6:54-55: “Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day. For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed.” Meat is to satisfy hunger and in verse 35 Jesus said “he that cometh to me shall never hunger.”
Therefore, to come to Him is to eat. To drink is to satisfy thirst and again in verse 35 Jesus said “he that believeth on me shall never thirst.” Therefore, to believe is to drink. No one can say that here Jesus was establishing the eating and drinking of a sacrifice for sin, especially not after what he said in verse 63: “the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.” In Levitical law, not only was the blood never eaten, but the sin offering was never to be eaten. Yet Catholics believe that they really eat Christ’s body and drink His blood in their communion. If they insist on a literal meaning in this verse, then they must take literally the whole statement and also believe that all who receive their communion are saved (will live forever) and they do not believe that. Without doubt, to consistently literalize this passage involves some impossible interpretation for the Catholic.
Matthew 26: 26 and 28: “This is my body…this is my blood.”
No one can deny that here we have figurative language. Jesus did not say, touto gignetai (this has become or is turned into) but touto esti (this signifies, represents or stands for). In another passage he said “this cup is the new testament.” For one thing, “the cup” refers to its contents and certainly neither the cup nor its contents constitutes the new covenant, but symbolizes it. Throughout Scripture we find similar metaphorical language: Jesus referred to Himself as “the door,” “the vine,” “the light,” “the root,” “the rock,” “the bright and morning star” as well as “the bread.” If I were to show someone a photograph of my son and say, “this is my son,” they would not take these words literally. The Scripture is written with such common language that it is obvious to any observant reader that the Lord’s Supper was intended primarily as a memorial and in no sense a literal sacrifice. In taking Biblical statements literally, we must be sure that doing so is consistent with the context and not in contradiction to other clear teaching.
THE FINALITY OF CHRIST’S SACRIFICE
The Bible teaches that the priesthood of Jesus Christ is unique:
“Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek” (Psalm 110:4 and Hebrews 7:17); “but this man, because he continueth ever hath an unchangeable priesthood (i.e. it cannot be transferred to another)” (Hebrews 7:3b and 24); “there is…one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus” (1 Timothy 2:5).
There is an obvious superiority in Jesus Christ, the one who is approachable and can be touched with the feeling of our infirmities (Hebrews 4:15). The human sacrificing priesthood was weak and unprofitable being made up of “many priests” and men of infirmity, but Christ was holy, undefiled and separate from sinners (Hebrews 7:23 and 28). Roman Catholicism teaches that her priests discharge the priesthood of Jesus Christ, that they are other Christs (Alter Christus). This explains the extravagant adulation and exaltation heaped upon the Roman priest. The French Catholic saint, J. B. M. Vianney said that
“Where there is no priest there is no sacrifice, and where there is no sacrifice there is no religion…Without the priest the death and passion of our Lord would be of no avail to us…See the power of the priest!” By one word from his lips, he changes a piece of bread into a God! A greater feat than the creation of a world.”
He also said:
“If I were to meet a priest and an angel, I would salute the priest before saluting the angel. The angel is a friend of God, but the priest holds the place of God…Next to God Himself, the priest is everything!”
What humiliation for Jesus Christ (the one who is to have preeminence in all things). All mankind must say with John the Baptist:
“He must increase, but I must decrease.”
The epistle to the Hebrews speaks of the once for all sacrifice of Christ on the cross, not a daily sacrifice on altars. It cannot be argued exegetically that the Mass is a real and true sacrifice of reconciliation and that Christ still sacrifices Himself daily by the hands of the priest (Council of Trent) as the Bible repeatedly affirms in the clearest and most positive terms that Christ’s sacrifice on Calvary was complete in that one offering. And that it was never to be repeated is set forth in Hebrews, chapter 7, 9, and 10. There we read:
“Who needeth not daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifice, first for his own sins, and then for the peoples: for this he did once, when he offered up himself (7:27).
“…by his own blood he entered in once, into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us” (9:12).
“…and without shedding of blood is no remission…Nor yet that he should offer himself often, as the high priest entereth into the holy place every year with blood of others; for then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world; but now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself…So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation” (9:22-28).
“By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. And every high priest standeth daily ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away sin: But this man, after he had offered onesacrifice for sins forever, sat down on the right hand of God; from henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstool. For by one offering he hath perfected forever them that are sanctified” (10:10-14).
Dr. Loraine Boettner, in his classic book “Roman Catholicism,” asks the reader to:
“Notice that throughout these verses occurs the statement ‘once for all,’ which has in it the idea of completeness, or finality, and which precludes repetition. Christ’s work on the cross was perfect and decisive. It constituted one historic event which need never repeated and which in fact cannot be repeated. The language is perfectly clear: ‘He offered one sacrifice for sins forever’ (Hebrews 10:12). Paul says that ‘Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more’ (Romans 6:9); and the writer of the Epistle to the Hebrews says that ‘By one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified’ (10:14)…We are told that Christ has sat down as token that His work is finished. Depend upon it. He never descends from that exalted place to be a further sacrifice upon Rome’s altars or on any other; for of such sacrifice there is no need. …Thank God that we can look back to what our Lord did on Calvary and know that He completed the sacrifice for sins once for all, and that our salvation is not dependent on the whim or arbitrary decree of any priest or church. Any pretense at a continuous offering for sin is worse than vain, for it is a denial of the efficacy of the atoning sacrifice of Christ on Calvary.”
PAGAN ORIGIN
It is shocking for Roman Catholics to learn that the proposal of the Lord’s Supper as a sacrifice was first made by a Benedictine monk, Radbertus, in the ninth century and was the subject of many fierce verbal battles by the bishops until Pope Innocent III declared it an official Roman doctrine in 1215 A.D. The very principles found in the bloodless sacrifice of the Mass as it is in the church of Rome today can be traced back through the labyrinth of paganism to the fountain of idolatry, ancient Babylon. Rome’s most blasphemous and massive religious fraud originated in Chaldean idol worship and will continue until the time of the end when, according to Revelation 17 and 18, amid the wonder and admiration of the world, Rome will be judged with violence and be thrown down and shall be found no more at all, for strong is the Lord God who judgeth her.
HAS THE MASS REALLY CHANGED?
Today many are expressing hope that Rome is turning toward Scriptural Christianity. Many are thrilled with her changes while failing to realize that they are only superficial. For example, the Church of Rome will never reject the sacrifice of the Mass–just streamline it enough to fool the unlearned in the Scriptures (the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth). Pope John XXIII made it clear that his church is bound “to all the teachings of the Church in its entirety and preciseness, as it still shines forth in the Acts of the Council of Trent and First Vatican Council…” (The Documents of Vatican II, Abbott, S.J.)
CONCLUSION
Based on the authority of the Bible, we must conclude that the Roman Catholic sacrifice of the Mass is a mockery, a deception, a fraud, an abomination before God. As we have shown, it is not the same sacrifice as that of Calvary, regardless of what the priests may say. Yet, under the threat of eternal condemnation, Catholics are, forced to believe what their church teaches, even though it contradicts the Scriptures and reason. The Bible says to “come now, let us reason together,” but Rome demands that her people accept as true that which they know to be false and practice traditions of men which can never bring them to salvation.
Because there are thousands of nominal Roman Catholics who do not believe all that their church requires, we are pleased to announce that they are not Roman Catholics at all, for according to Pope Paul VI, no one may claim to be a member of the Roman Catholic church if he does not maintain fidelity to the churches’ magisterium (teaching authority). On August 24, 1977 he said:
“People who say they are part of the Church and yet are not faithful remain outside.”
Our earnest prayer and expectation is that our beloved Roman Catholic friends will study the Scriptures with an honest desire to know and obey God’s Word to us. The Holy Spirit will then convict them with truth and give them the courage and integrity to separate from false teaching (John 12:46, 1 Timothy 6:3-5, II Timothy 3:5, II Corinthians 6:14-17, Ephesians 5:11, II John 10, Revelation 18:4) and join fellowship with the truly born-again believers in Bible teaching, Christ honoring churches where they can grow in grace and in the knowledge of our wonderful Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. [End of tract.]
HERE IS A LIST OF SOME CATHOLIC TEACHINGS BASED ON TRADITION, NOT ON SCRIPTURE
• Transubstantiation (the teaching that the priest was given the power by Jesus Christ to transform the bread and the wine into the literal body, blood, soul, and divinity of Jesus Christ) was first made an official doctrine of the Catholic church at the Fourth Lateran Council in 1215 A.D.
• Purgatory was made an official doctrine of the Catholic church in 1274 A.D.
• Immaculate Conception (Mary proclaimed to be sinless) – 1854 A.D.
• Papal Infallibility (In matters of faith and morals) – 1870 A.D.
• The Assumption of Mary – (Mary taken body and soul into heaven) – 1950 A.D.
BRIEF LIST OF SOME MAIN TEACHINGS OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH REFUTED BY THE TRUTH CLEARLY REVEALED IN THE WORD OF GOD
PURGATORY (PARA 1472 CCC) REFUTED
“Who being the brightness of his glory, and the figure of his substance, and upholding all things by the word of his power, making purgation of sins, sitteth on the right hand of the majesty on high.” (Hebrews 1:3 – DRV)
“And you, employing all care, minister in your faith, virtue; and in virtue, knowledge; And in knowledge, abstinence; and in abstinence, patience; and in patience, godliness; And in godliness, love of brotherhood; and in love of brotherhood, charity. For if these things be with you and abound, they will make you to be neither empty nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. For he that hath not these things with him, is blind, and groping, having forgotten that he was purged from his old sins.” (2 Peter 1:5-9 – DRV)
THE SUFFICIENCY OF JESUS CHRIST’S ONCE FOR ALL SACRIFICE
“And so he is able, now and always. to save those who come to God through him, because he lives forever to plead with God for them. Jesus, then, is the High Priest that meets our needs. He is holy; he has no fault or sin in him; he has been set apart from sinful men and raised above the heavens. He is not like other high priests; he does not need to offer sacrifices every day for his own sins first, and then for the sins of the people. He offered one sacrifice, once and for all,when he offered himself.” (Hebrews 7:25-27 – SHLCNT)
“When Christ went through the tent and entered once and for all into the Most Holy Place, he did not take the blood of goats and calves to offer as sacrifice; rather he took his own blood and obtained eternal salvation for us. The blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of the burnt calf are sprinkled on the people who are ritually unclean, and make them clean by taking away their ritual impurity. Since this is true, how much more is accomplished by the blood of Christ! Through the eternal Spirit he offered himself as a perfect sacrifice to God. His blood will make our consciences clean from useless works, so that we may serve the living God.” (Hebrews 9:12-14- SHLCNT)
“Everyone must die once, and after that be judged by God. In the same manner, Christ also was offered in sacrifice once to take away the sins of many. He will appear a second time, not to deal with sin, but to save those who are waiting for him.” (Hebrews 9:27,28 – SHLCNT)
“Every Jewish priest stands and performs his services every day and offers the same sacrifices many times. But these sacrifices can never take away sins. Christ, however, offered one sacrifice for sins, an offering that is good forever, and then sat down at the right side of God. There he now waits until God puts his enemies as a footstool under his feet. With one sacrifice, then, he has made perfect forever those who are clean from sin. And the Holy Spirit also gives us his witness. First he says, “This is the covenant that I will make with them in the days to come,”says the Lord: I will put my laws in their hearts, and write them on their minds.” And then he says, “I will not remember their sins and wicked deeds any longer.” So when these have been forgiven, an offering to take away sins is no longer needed. We have, then, brothers, complete freedom to go into the Most Holy Place by means of the death of Jesus. He opened for us a new way, a living way, through the curtain–that is, through his own body. We have a great priest in charge of the house of God. Let us come near to God, then, with a sincere heart and a sure faith, with hearts that have been made clean from a guilty conscience, and bodies washed with pure water.” (Hebrews 10:11-22- SHLCNT)
The same verse as above in the Douay-Rheims Bible:
“And every priest indeed standeth daily ministering, and often offering the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. But this man offering one sacrifice for sins, for ever sitteth on the right hand of God, From henceforth expecting, until his enemies be made his footstool. For by one oblation he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified. And the Holy Ghost also doth testify this to us. For after that he said:
And this is the testament which I will make unto them after those days, saith the Lord. I will give my laws in their hearts, and on their minds will I write them:
And their sins and iniquities I will remember no more.
Now where there is a remission of these, there is no more an oblation for sin. Having therefore, brethren, a confidence in the entering into the holies by the blood of Christ; A new and living way which he hath dedicated for us through the veil, that is to say, his flesh, And a high priest over the house of God: Let us draw near with a true heart in fulness of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with clean water.” (Hebrews 10: 11-22 – DRV)
One more verse for you regarding the sufficiency of Jesus Christ’s once for all sacrifice:
For Christ himself died for you; once and for all he died for sins, a good man for bad men, in order to lead you to God.” (1 Peter 3:18 – SHLCNT)
Here is how the same verse above is presented in the Douay-Rheims Catholic Version which strengthens, emphasizes, and clarifies the contrast between Jesus Christ (the just) and sinful humanity (the unjust):
“Because Christ also died once for our sins, the just for the unjust: that he might offer us to God, being put to death indeed in the flesh, but enlivened in the spirit.” (1 Peter 3:18 DRV)
THE SUFFICIENCY OF JESUS CHRIST’S ONE SACRIFICE TO EVEN CLEANSE OUR CONSCIENCES
“But Christ, being come an high priest of the good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle not made with hand, that is, not of this creation: Neither by the blood of goats, or of calves, but by his own blood, entered once into the holies, having obtained eternal redemption. For if the blood of goats and of oxen, and the ashes of an heifer being sprinkled, sanctify such as are defiled, to the cleansing of the flesh: How much more shall the blood of Christ, who by the Holy Ghost offered himself unspotted unto God, cleanse our conscience from dead works, to serve the living God? (Hebrews 9:11-14 – DRV)
MARY AS OUR MEDIATRIX (MEDIATOR) REFUTED
“For there is one God, and one mediator of God and men, the man Christ Jesus. Who gave himself a redemption for all, a testimony in due time.” (1 Timothy 2:5,6 – DRV)
SACRIFICE OF THE MASS REFUTED
“For Jesus is not entered into the holies made with hands, the patterns of the true: but into heaven itself, that he may appear now in the presence of God for us. Nor yet that he should offer himself often, as the high priest entereth into the holies, every year with the blood of others: For then he ought to have suffered often from the beginning of the world: but now once at the end of ages, he hath appeared for the destruction of sin, by the sacrifice of himself. And as it is appointed unto men once to die, and after this the judgment: So also Christ was offered once to exhaust the sins of many; the second time he shall appear without sin to them that expect him unto salvation.” (Hebrews 9:24-28 – DRV)
Here are just a few thoughts that I’d like to share with you regarding what I have learned as I reflect back to the time when I was a Catholic in light of the joyous thoughts and deep appreciation that I now have after coming to the knowledge of the true Biblical gospel and understanding all that Jesus Christ accomplished for each one of us after I started reading the little Catholic New Testament Bible that was given to me back in the spring of 1980:
Catholicism plays upon the emotions and senses of its people with its rich traditions: the ringing of bells, the incense, images and icons, the mystical idea of the bread and wine literally becoming Jesus’ body, blood, soul, and divinity, the worship of the wafer known as Eucharistic Adoration, processions in which a statue of Mary, the mother of Jesus, is carried into Catholic churches and crowned with a wreath made of flowers, etc., etc. The beauty and amazing truth of the Biblical gospel is veiled by their Catholic Traditions and it is never prominent in their teachings; all that Jesus Christ accomplished for us through His sinless life, His death on the cross in our place, His glorious resurrection from the dead in bodily form three days later showing that God accepted His death as completely satisfying God’s full wrath that He has towards us because of our sins, is never clearly taught. Instead, He is depicted as still hanging on the cross (in most Catholic churches) and He is continually being sacrificed over and over again during every mass, at every altar, in every Catholic church throughout the world! The way to God the Father is never revealed as being coming to Him through Jesus Christ alone as God’s Word says (John 14:6, 1 Timothy 2:5). Instead, precious Catholics are also taught to pray to Mary or one of many different saints telling them that they will intercede before God for their needs; in one breath they speak the truth declared in God’s Holy Word, and in the next they contradict it!
Yes, the Catholic church does indeed teach many Biblical things such as Jesus Christ was God in the flesh, born of a virgin, fully God and fully Man, came to die on the cross for our sins, arose from the dead three days later, the triunity of God (the Biblical concept of the Trinity), but what they add to their teachings and leave out of their teachings causes most, if not all, precious Catholics to place their trust in the Catholic Church to save them instead of Jesus Christ alone, as the Word of God clearly declares; it leads them to wrongly trust in the Catholic Church’s sacramental system and their good works to make them righteous in the sight of a thrice Holy God, which is completely impossible! (Titus 3:4,5, Galatians 2:21, Isaiah 64:6)
Dear reader, no matter what religion or spiritual beliefs you have chosen to adhere to, what truly matters — if one desires to follow the one and only true God, the God of the Bible — are these important questions that I urge you to prayerfully reflect upon and answer:
• Can you honestly say that everything you have been taught can be backed up with Scripture without adding to Scripture or Scripture being taken out of context?
• Have you ever had doubts about something that you have been taught because God’s Word says something completely different, but you choose to push your doubts aside and accept your church’s interpretation of a certain passage of Scripture?
• Do you merely accept everything that you are taught without questioning anything?
• Have you been taught anything that has no Scriptural support whatsoever, but merely based on tradition or supposed new revelations?
These are very important questions to ponder because if you are prone to simply believe whatever you are taught and don’t stop to question things or test things against the truth of God’s Word, you will most likely be deceived and will never come to the knowledge of the truth. A very frightening thought that could be your reality if you ignore this warning.
When people come to faith in Jesus Christ many think that everyone in Christian leadership can be trusted and that everything they say can be believed. However, God’s Word is filled with warnings about spiritual deception in the last days, warnings about false teachers, some even rising from among us (Acts 20:26-31), mysticism, and doctrines of demons. God’s Word also warns us of the fact that the traditions of men nullify God’s Word. (Mark 7:13). Therefore we should always be on guard against false teachings that attempt to distort God’s Word and the Biblical gospel in order to defend their false beliefs.
Please begin to use your critical thinking skills, and, above all, please ask God for discernment and test everything that you are being taught against the truth of the Word of God. I pray that by the power of God’s Holy Spirit the eyes of many precious Catholics, as well as other precious people who truly think that what they believe is true, will have the blinders removed from their eyes as they seek God in His Word — not in the teachings of any religion — and see the gloriously good news of the Biblical gospel regarding everything that Jesus Christ has already done for each one of us, and I pray that many will choose to place their trust in Him alone for the forgiveness of their sins –every last one of them, no matter how horrific of a sin that it may be!
Now that we have finally come to the end of this series, I ask you to please prayerfully reflect on what’s most important –the truth of the Word of God. The reason being that on the day when you find yourself standing before the Lord, the only thing that will truly matter is if you placed your trust in the only way that God has provided for us to be reconciled to Himself, and that is by placing your complete trust in the once for all sacrifice that Jesus Christ willingly offered in our place on the cross of Calvary. Jesus lived the sinless, perfect life that we could never live to become the perfect sacrifice; Jesus took upon Himself the full wrath of God, His Father, that was intended for us because of our sins, and He died in our place. He was buried, and three days later He gloriously arose from the dead in bodily form showing that God, His Father, indeed accepted His death as paying the debt for every one of our sins — in full! No more sacrifices or punishment is required or needed! Now that is the good news of the Biblical gospel!! In contrast, the gospel of Catholicism teaches that more sacrifices for sin is required (Sacrifice of the Mass) and temporal punishment for sins is still due which requires being sent into the purifying fires of a place that the Roman Catholic church calls purgatory where it is taught that one remains there after death to suffer and to be purged from sin for an undetermined amount of time until they are made acceptable to enter heaven. However, remember as I shared with you earlier, the Word of God says in Hebrews 1:3 and 2 Peter 1:5-9 that Jesus purged us from our sins.
If a person ceases from trusting in their good works as the means to obtain God’s forgiveness and chooses instead to place their full trust in the finished work of Jesus Christ’s once for all sacrifice, their sins will be washed away, and will be as far as the east is from the west (Psalm 103:12), cast into the depths of the sea (Micah 7:18,19), never to be remembered again (Romans 4:7,8, Hebrews 8:12, 10:17), and they will be clothed in the righteousness of Jesus Christ. (Isaiah 61:10)
Dear Catholic, for the last time I present the following question to you:
“Are you going to believe the Word of God (Scripture), or the word of man (Catholic Tradition)?
Your response will truly reveal where you have placed your trust for the forgiveness of your sins and will most certainly have eternal consequences. I pray that you will get a Bible and spend time reading it and comparing the teachings of the Catholic church to your own Bible. If you do, you will see for yourself the gloriously good news of the Biblical gospel regarding all that Jesus Christ truly accomplished for us! Jesus Christ has the power to set you free and to fill you with true peace and joy –if you choose to believe it and to fully place your trust in the once for all sacrifice of Jesus Christ as being completely sufficient to pay the debt for every one of your sins in full!
Thank you very much for stopping by today.
God Bless You
Mary Dalke – Living4HisGlory
NOTE: All Scriptures from the Douay-Rheims Catholic Bible were found on: https://biblehub.com/
PLEASE KEEP IN MIND THAT, AS I HAVE STATED IN MY ‘COMMENT POLICY,’ COMMENTS ON ALL POSTS CLOSE ONE MONTH AFTER THEY ARE PUBLISHED. THANK YOU.
RELATED VIDEOS
NOTE: The Counterfeit Christianity videos that I added above are for informational purposes only, and not an endorsement of all the speakers. As always, be sure to test everything you hear or read against Scripture as we are shown to do in Acts 17:11.
NOTE: This post was updated on Feb. 27th at 10:30 A.M.
UPDATE:
I will be taking some time off to try and start an online business with my photography because I need to try something to bring in some extra money, and I do not want to monetize this site. Your prayers would truly be appreciated at this time! Thank you.
JULY 8, 2020 NOTE: When time allows I will be updating this post with information regarding the latest developments concerning Doreen Virtue, Joshua Chavez, and Justin Peters.
NOTE: Updated this post on July 17, 2020 1:26 P.M. You will find all new UPDATES written in this teal color.
NOTE: Updated this post again on July 20, 2020 10:32 P.M. and July 21, 2020 2:49 P.M. with the latest developments. You will find these UPDATES in this pink color near the end of this post.
NOTE: Updated this post again on July 30, 2020 5:22 P.M. You will find this updated section near the bottom of this post in this green color.
NOTE: Saw the need to update this post again on August 24, 2020 12:20 P.M. by adding two videos. See the end of this post in this dark purple color.
First I want to begin this post by clearly saying that my intention in writing this post is not to bash Doreen Virtue, but rather to emphasize the extreme importance of not only praying for spiritual discernment but also to emphasize the extreme importance of testing everything that a professing Christian says against Scripture to be certain that all that they say lines up with Scripture. (Acts 17:11) Sometimes we are too quick to accept everything that a professing born-again Christian says is true without taking the time to pray for discernment as we either carefully listen to or read their testimony. Sometimes the music that may be played in the background of one’s testimony can move us emotionally and affect our ability to spiritually discern truth from error, as well.
I also want to make it clear that I am not denying Doreen’s salvation. Only God knows where each person stands regarding this extremely important eternal life issue and whether a person has made the decision to place their trust completely — and only — in the “once for all” sacrifice of His life in our place that Jesus Christ willingly offered when He shed His blood and died on the cross for our sins. What I am trying to show through all of the following information is the extreme importance of thinking for ourselves and examining all of the evidence in order to know what the truth really is, because the truth matters!
I also want to say that I personally do not know Doreen Virtue or Joshua Chavez, (who is known as Servus Christi on YouTube), and I have never personally interacted with either one of them in any way.
Although there are many concerns that could be brought to your attention regarding all that has transpired since Joshua Chavez posted his video entitled, ‘Justin Peters Now Believes Visions Of Jesus? (Doreen Virtue)’ the main issue that I will be addressing in this post is Doreen’s alleged vision of Jesus. However, I will post some of the information that addresses all of the issues so that you can see a well balanced view from all sides of this issue. It is my prayer that you will pray for discernment before you watch all of the videos posted below and come to your own conclusion after seeking God in prayer for the truth in this matter and looking into His Word.
For those of you who are not aware of who Doreen Virtue is, she was a top selling author for a top selling New Age publisher –Hay House. During her time in the New Age Movement she wrote many New Age books such as: ‘Healing With The Angels’, ‘Archangels & Ascended Masters: A Guide to Working and Healing with Divinities and Deities,’ ‘Daily Guidance From Your Angels,’ as well as many different types of Oracle cards (occultic cards used in giving so-called readings). Doreen is now a professing Christian, but many Christians (including myself) have some very valid concerns regarding some of the things that she has been saying.
This all started when Joshua posted his very in depth video analyzing Doreen Virtue’s testimony, the main point being on how she focuses on her alleged vision of Jesus that she claims to have had on January 7th of 2017 almost every time that she shares her testimony –including very recently. You will see that this is a fact by viewing the videos and documented information that I have added to this post. Although I would have liked to have seen more Christ-like love and grace shown by Joshua in the way that he presented much of his information regarding Justin Peters and Doreen Virtue, the fact remains that oftentimes Doreen does focus on the vision of Jesus that she claims to have had.
Picture above is a quick capture of Doreen Virtue holding a picture of the painting done by an artist that represents the alleged vision of Jesus that she claims to have had on January 7, 2017. You can watch the video HERE and the link is also posted further below in this post. NOTE: A comment was made in the comment section on one of these videos that show this painting which pointed out the disturbing fact that this “Jesus” does not have nail marks in His wrists or palms of His hands.
NOTE: Joshua has not allowed his video to be played on anyone’s website, so if you would like to watch it you will need to click on the link where it says, “Watch this video on YouTube.”
UPDATE: This video has now been taken down.
UPDATE: 7-17-2020 As you can see, YouTube reinstated Joshua’s video:
Here is a quick capture of what it originally looked like:
At the link below you will see a reupload of one of Joshua Chavez’s videos. IMHO it is the best one of his recent videos that focuses on Doreen and her inconsistencies regarding her alleged vision of Jesus. (This is the video in which you will see a picture of the Jesus that she allegedly saw in her vision). In this video Joshua gives his perspective and presents the documented facts on this whole issue:
Here is another very good video that contains clips of Joshua’s videos that were taken down by YouTube as well as documented evidence presented by Blood Bought Ministries regarding Doreen Virtue and her alleged vision of Jesus:
5-16-2020 – UPDATE: IT NOW APPEARS AS IF BLOOD BOUGHT MINISTRIES WAS FORCED TO REMOVE THE VIDEO, BUT CHOSE TO SET THIS VIDEO AS PRIVATE RATHER THAN DELETING IT.
5-17-2020 – 9:00 A.M. UPDATE: TODAY IT CAN BE VIEWED. PLEASE WATCH NOW WHILE IT IS STILL AVAILABLE:
UPDATE: 7-17-2020 At of today, this video is still available to watch in spite of what the text says:
BLOOD BOUGHT MINISTRIES – DOREEN VIRTUE AND HER DAMAGE CONTROL
After watching Joshua’s entire very lengthy video, which, for the most part, I found to be very eye opening regarding the very troubling fact that Doreen oftentimes focuses on her alleged vision of Jesus when she publicly shares her testimony, I immediately went to Doreen’s YouTube channel and watched her featured personal testimony video, which now has been marked private, (see quick captures of information I posted further below). In its place she now has a video of an interview that she did with Pastor Chris Quintana.
I then proceeded to go to her website where I found the following information as of 7:13 P.M., May 8th 2020 and quick captured everything and posted it below for you as documentation of what was presently there:
Under About Doreen Virtue in part it says:
“Raised in the new age, Doreen had a profound vision of Jesus on January 7, 2017 that led to her getting baptized and converting to Christianity.”
When I clicked on Doreen Virtue Testimony page it said the following:
“In this video, you’ll hear about the amazing experience and the 4 realizations which led to me becoming a born-again Christian, by clicking here.”
However, when I clicked on the link to view the video, as you can see from the quick capture below, it said,
“Video unavailable. This video is private.”
This appeared to be Doreen’s decision to begin what some would call, damage control.
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As I searched for other copies of Doreen’s testimony on video to see if she focuses on her vision of Jesus (before those videos possibly end up disappearing, as well), I came across the following two videos put together by a Bible believing Christian who is a former New Ager. She has a YouTube channel called, Truth Matters. In the following two videos she tests Doreen’s original testimony against Scripture and makes some excellent observations. Please considering listening to them when time allows:
UPDATE: Sadly, the person who put these videos together must have been forced to take them down. Her channel no longer exists, as well, but I can assure you that she did not present her comments in a mean-spirited way; she presented her information in a clear and Biblical manner using many Scriptures and in such a way that all Christians would see the serious concerns one should have with what Doreen had shared in her testimony.
Doreen Virtue’s Original Testimony to Christianity
Doreen Virtue’s Original Conversion Video Part 2
In the video further below, Doreen shares her testimony with Matt Blackburn. This video was posted on December 7th 2019 which was just five months ago at the time that I am writing this post. Beginning at the 24:49 – 28:49 minute mark you will hear Doreen say some of the following regarding her alleged vision of Jesus:
“I had this big experience on January 7th, 2017, Matt, that completely changed everything…”
“…all of a sudden everything disappeared in my vision field and all I saw was this vision of Jesus.”
“…it was like the veil lifted and he’s always there and I got to see him, but this light is what did move; it came out of his heart and I could feel the rays of this light and he actually had even pushed me back in my chair, and while this was going on, and I don’t know how long it lasted, I had these epiphanies which which means a realization and this knowingness.”
“And the first thing I knew was that Jesus is real. Jesus of the Bible is real. I had always doubted what the Bible had said about him, but he’s real.”
“And then the second realization was the Bible’s real. I mean, it just, I went from being a skeptic to a believer in a nanosecond, just…I knew the Bible was real. ”
“The third realization is that Jesus really had died for our sin. Again, I didn’t even believe he was crucified, let alone that he had died for sin “…and I could feel all of the sins on his body. I mean it was a palpable experience…”
“And the forth realization is I need to get out of the New Age…”
I am almost certain that it is just a matter of time before the above video gets taken down, as well, in what appears to be Doreen’s attempt to do damage control in order to keep the truth hidden of how recently she has proclaimed her vision as being Jesus without any doubt whatsoever. Here are some quick captures of some of the things that Doreen said in her interview with Matt Blackburn which shows that she bases her belief of the reality of Christianity not on the Word of God, but instead on the experience that she had –her alleged vision of Jesus that she said took place on January 7th of 2017:
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In case you missed it, I would like to bring the most concerning thing to your attention regarding what Doreen said at the 49:58 minute mark in the video above; speaking about Christianity, Doreen said the following:
“How do I know that it’s [Christianity] the real deal? I…I had this experience on January 7th of 2017. To my very bones…every soul in my, cell in my body knew that I was looking at the real Jesus.”
How many of you can see the serious danger in the things that Doreen has said? She is saying that she came to the realization that Christianity and Jesus Christ and the Bible are real after allegedly seeing a vision of Jesus. A Jesus that she describes as having rays of light coming out of his heart similar to the alleged vision seen by now deceased Catholic nun and mystic, Maria Faustina Kowalska, as Joshua rightly points out in his video, as well.
Doreen is telling everyone that she did not come to the realization that Jesus Christ and the Bible are real and that Jesus died for our sins by reading the Bible and hearing the gospel being preached. Instead she is saying she came to this realization by the vision that she allegedly saw! This is extremely troubling! Yes, Doreen is now speaking out and warning about some of the New Age practices that she was once involved in, practices that she claims she has repented of, but why is it that she mainly focuses on this vision almost every time that she shares her testimony? How is it that all of the thousands of Doreen’s followers cannot see this troubling fact?
Why is it that some Christians do not take the time to research a professing Christian’s beliefs before they choose to follow them or agree to accept their invitation to come on their show? People like Justin Peters, (whom I deeply respect because of how he speaks out regarding the false Word of Faith Movement), Chris Quintana, Phil Johnson, Chris Rosebrough — well respected professing Christian men who should know better — have all been guests on Doreen’s YouTube channel.
Since I had never heard of Matt Blackburn before I decided to do a little research on him simply by taking a look at some of the videos that he has posted on his YouTube channel. Here are just a couple of the troubling things that I found:
Although he professes to be a Christian, Matt Blackburn promotes the New Age practice of earthing (which is also referred to as grounding) on his YouTube channel (among other New Age things). If you’d like, you can read THIS POST that I wrote back in December of 2017 on this subject in order to warn Christians about it. On his website it gives a list of the things that he has studied extensively, which includes things such as crystal technology. This may be a case of a lack of diligence on Matt’s part to keep the information on his channel and website updated in order to reflect where he presently is in Christian walk with Jesus Christ, but it’s very troubling to think about the many people that he is leading astray by not deleting these things from his channel and website –if indeed he has rejected New Age philosophies and practices and repented for practicing and promoting them.
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In the process of writing this post I was contacted by a dear sister-in-Christ who shared a very disturbing update with me. It seems that Doreen Virtue is now saying that the vision she saw of Jesus could possibly have been a demon!
Do any of you find that rather suspicious that up until now she has insisted that she had seen the real Jesus in her alleged vision, and yet shortly after Joshua Chavez comes out with a video bringing attention to how Doreen focuses mainly on her January 7th 2017 alleged vision of Jesus when she shares her testimony, all of a sudden she is now saying it could possibly have been a demon? Doesn’t this seem more than just a coincidence? What will it take for some Christians to see the truth about someone they admire and follow who is quite clearly not being honest regarding some of the things they are saying and teaching?
On May 9, 2020, the day after Joshua posted his video, Doreen came out with this video. Although she does not mention Joshua Chavez by name, clearly it was a video response to what he had shared in his video entitled,‘Justin Peter Now Believes Visions Of Jesus? (Doreen Virtue),’ and she accuses him of slandering her:
UPDATE 7-17-2020: Doreen chose to delete this video. Appears to be more damage control:
The day after Doreen was interviewed by Katie — The Berean Millennial, (her interview is at the link that I shared with you earlier in this post), Doreen posted the following video which was basically what she had shared with Katie on Instagram, including that she was now saying that the alleged vision of Jesus that she claimed to have had on January 7, 2017 may possibly have been a demon:
UPDATE 7-17-2020 Doreen decided to delete this video, as well.
In the following video that I found on 5-11-2020 (a video that was first posted on YouTube on November 21, 2019 — less than six months ago from the time that I am writing this post), Doreen also shared her testimony — including her alleged vision of Jesus — on Tulips & Honey YouTube channel, and she does not say anything about it possibly having been a demon. She does say that she was not a Christian at this point, but again, the truth is that Doreen does focus on sharing her alleged vision of Jesus in the very recent past and she does not say that it was possibly a demon. Therefore, what Joshua said regarding her vision is true and it is not slander.
Below you will see some of the things that Doreen said in the above video that I have quick captured for you not only so that you can see what she says for yourself if you don’t have the time to watch the video, but also just in case the above video gets taken down at some point:
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You will hear and see the same thing in this audio (and the quick captures) of what Doreen had said when she shared her testimony very recently on the B.A.R. (Biblical And Reformed) Podcast that was posted on April 29, 2020:
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Yes, we are to extend grace to Doreen since she appears to be a fairly new Christian, and we definitely need to pray for her. Yes, she has been speaking out and warning about the dangers of yoga, the Enneagram, Contemplative Prayer, and other New Age practices because she has taught many occultic things in the past and she seems to genuinely want to warn Christians about the dangers of these things , but the following points need to be made:
The first point is this:
Why does Doreen see the need to put the emphasis on this vision almost every time that she shares her testimony?
The second point, which is the most important is:
Since she shared her alleged vision of Jesus on Tulips And Honey YouTube channel in November of 2019 , and then again in December of 2019 with Matt Blackburn, and again as recently as April 29th on B.A.R., and did not mention in any way whatsoever that it could possibly have been a demon, this is clear evidence that shows Doreen is presently covering up the truth with lies in her latest videos. Maybe she is afraid, and out of fear she is lying to protect herself from rejection, but a lie is a sin that must be confessed to the Lord, repented of, and admitted to her followers if indeed she is a Christian and wants to be pleasing to the Lord.
MY CLOSING THOUGHTS AFTER COMPLETELY WATCHING ALL OF THESE VIDEOS
Even though Joshua did not present all of his information in a Christ-like and compassionate manner regarding Justin Peters and Doreen Virtue, the fact remains that Doreen Virtue now looks like the completely innocent one being victimized by Joshua, when the facts show that she has lied and covered up the truth about her testimony and changed things to seemingly gain sympathy. In other words, Doreen has changed the facts and is misleading all of the thousands of people who follow her; people who deserve to know the truth — no matter what the cost.
Although I do not agree with Justin Peters’ Calvinistic/ Reformed Theology, as I previously mentioned I do truly appreciate his Clouds Without Water series exposing the Word of Faith heresies, and I agreed with much of what he said in his video regarding Joshua’s attitude and lack of love and compassion for Doreen. It was deeply troubling — and even embarrassing — to see the way Joshua treated Justin in his video playing that short clip over and over and over, ignoring — and seemingly not even taking the time to watch — the interview that Justin did with Doreen.
I also accept his explanation of why he didn’t check her out more closely before accepting her invitation to come on her program because many of us have learned that lesson in one way or another a little too late at least once in our lives, but I do pray that Justin will speak to her specifically about her vision and address these concerns that many of us have about the latest things that she has done and said in her recent videos.
Yes, Doreen did seem to have some, “Aha” moments as Justin Peters was sharing some Biblical truth with her regarding dreams and visions when she had asked him if “dreams from God are still for today,” but this question must be asked:
If Doreen sincerely did embrace this truth that Jesus does not speak through dreams and visions today based on what God’s Word says in Hebrews 1:1,2, why then did she continue to emphasize her vision at least two times since she received Justin’s Biblical response to her question during his interview that was posted on Doreen’s YouTube channel on November 28, 2019?
As I always try to stress in many of my posts:
As Christians *we are to be followers of Jesus Christ alone; we are not to follow any man — or woman — and their ministry to such a degree that we would ever wrongly think that they could never err in what they say or do. *(1 Corinthians 1:10-13, 1 Corinthians 3:1-7)
As Christians we need to realize the extreme importance of testing what professing Christians say — and do — in light of Scripture. (Acts 17:11)
As Christians we need to keep in mind the many warnings in Scripture about spiritual deception and false teachers in the last days and how even from our own number men — and women — will arise and distort the truth in order to draw away disciples after them. (Acts 20:30)
I will be praying for Doreen to realize that Jesus Christ of the Bible knows the truth regarding her heart and her motives as well as what she truly believes about the alleged vision that she claims to have had on January 7th of 2017. He also knows why she now seems to be trying desperately to change her story. However, there is no good reason whatsoever for Doreen, a professing born-again Christian, to lie and to wrongly accuse Joshua Chavez of slander.
After watching some of Doreen’s videos it first appeared to me that she does seem to have a genuine and sincere desire to please God. I pray that is true, but honestly after watching her two latest videos I now have very serious concerns about her. If Doreen truly is a born-again Christian now, then I pray that out of a desire to live a life that is honoring to the Lord, she will take some time off from her YouTube ministry and go before the Lord and seek Him with all of her heart and do whatever needs to be done to make things right, all the while learning to trust Him even more. I also pray that she will come to the knowledge of the truth about the Biblical gospel and ask God’s forgiveness for placing her trust in experiences instead of in the finished work of Jesus Christ and the truth of His Word. I pray that many other Christians will pray for her, as well, instead of calling her horrible names in the comment section of these types of videos that allow for comments.
If you took the time to pray for discernment before reading this lengthy post and watching all of these videos, I pray that you now see the extreme importance of reading and studying God’s Word, constantly praying for discernment, and testing what every professing Christian says in light of Scripture so that you will never be deceived and led astray from Jesus Christ.
I am not wrongly judging Doreen by saying all that I did in this post. I, along with many other concerned Christians, simply tested what she has said and claims to have said against her own words that she has shared publicly. God’s Word shows us very clearly that there are times when we are to judge:
“Stop judging by mere appearances, but instead judge correctly.” (John 7:24)
“I wrote to you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people— not at all meaning the people of this world who are immoral, or the greedy and swindlers, or idolaters. In that case you would have to leave this world. But now I am writing to you that you must not associate with anyone who claims to be a brother or sister but is sexually immoral or greedy, an idolater or slanderer, a drunkard or swindler. Do not even eat with such people. What business is it of mine to judge those outside the church? Are you not to judge those inside? God will judge those outside. “Expel the wicked person from among you.” (1 Corinthians 5:9-13)
PLEASE REFLECT ON THESE SCRIPTURES
“You saw no form of any kind the day the LORD spoke to you at Horeb out of the fire. Therefore watch yourselves very carefully, so that you do not become corrupt and make for yourselves an idol, an image of any shape, whether formed like a man or a woman, or like any animal on earth or any bird that flies in the air, or like any creature that moves along the ground or any fish in the waters below. And when you look up to the sky and see the sun, the moon and the stars — all the heavenly array — do not be enticed into bowing down to them and worshiping things the LORD your God has appointed to all the nations under heaven.” (Deuteronomy 4:15-19)
“God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds; Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high.” (Hebrews 1:1-3 – KJV)
“Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.” (1 John 4:1)
“Test everything. Hold on to the good. Avoid every kind of evil.” (1 Thessalonians 5:21,22)
“I appeal to you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another in what you say and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly united in mind and thought. My brothers and sisters, some from Chloe’s household have informed me that there are quarrels among you. What I mean is this: One of you says, “I follow Paul”; another, “I follow Apollos”; another, “I follow Cephas ”; still another, “I follow Christ.” Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Were you baptized in the name of Paul?” 1 Corinthians 1:10-13)
“Brothers, I could not address you as spiritual but as worldly—mere infants in Christ. I gave you milk, not solid food, for you were not yet ready for it. Indeed, you are still not ready. You are still worldly. For since there is jealousy and quarreling among you, are you not worldly? Are you not acting like mere men? For when one says, “I follow Paul,” and another, “I follow Apollos,” are you not mere men? What, after all, is Apollos? And what is Paul? Only servants, through whom you came to believe—as the Lord has assigned to each his task. I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God has been making it grow. So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow.” (1 Corinthians 3:1-7)
“Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.” (1 Corinthians 6:9-11)
“For such men are false apostles, deceitful workmen, masquerading as apostles of Christ. And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light. It is not surprising, then, if his servants masquerade as servants of righteousness. Their end will be what their actions deserve. “(2 Corinthians 11:13,14)
“In fact everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, while evil men and imposters will go from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived. But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it, and how from infancy you have known the holy Scriptures which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus I give you this charge, who will judge the living and the dead, and in view of his appearing and his kingdom, I give you this charge: Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke, and encourage –with great patience and careful instruction. For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths.” (2 Timothy 3:13-4:1-4)
“Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror and after looking at himself goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But a man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it –he will be blessed in what he does.” (James 1:22-25)
“He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth. When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly.” (1 Peter 2:22,23)
“Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Grieve, mourn, and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.” (James 4:7-10)
“Now the Bereans were of more noble character than the Thessalonians, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true.” (Acts 17:11)
“Now I know that none of you among whom I have gone about preaching the kingdom will ever see me again. Therefore, I declare to you today that I am innocent of the blood of any of you. For I have not hesitated to proclaim to you the whole will of God. Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God, which he bought with his own blood. I know that after I leave, savage wolves will come in among you and will not spare the flock. Even from your own number men will arise and distort the truth in order to draw away disciples after them. So be on your guard! Remember that for three years I never stopped warning each of you night and day with tears.” (Acts 20:25-31)
“Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them.” (Ephesians 5:11)
Unless otherwise noted, all Scriptures above are from The Holy Bible New International Version® 1973, 1978, 1984 International Bible Society Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved.
The Biblical Gospel
“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. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.” (John 3:16-21 – KJV)
“He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.” (John 3:36 – KJV)
“Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” (John 14:6 – KJV)
“Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, “Rulers of the people and elders of Israel: If we this day are judged for a good deed done to a helpless man, by what means he has been made well, let it be known to you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead, by Him this man stands here before you whole. This is the ‘stone which was rejected by you builders, which has become the chief cornerstone.’ Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” (Acts 4:8-12 – NIV)
“As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one. Their throat is an open sepulchre; with their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips: Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness: Their feet are swift to shed blood: Destruction and misery are in their ways: And the way of peace have they not known: There is no fear of God before their eyes. 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. 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. But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference: For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.” Romans 3:10-26 – KJV)
“But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8 – KJV)
“Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures.” (1 Corinthians 15:1-4 – KJV)
“I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour; Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth. For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.” (1 Timothy 2:1-6 – KJV)
“For therefore we both labour and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God, who is the Saviour of all men, specially of those that believe.” (1 Timothy 4:10 – KJV)
“For we ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another. But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared, Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour; That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.” (Titus 3:3-7 – KJV)
“In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him. Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.” (1 John 4:9,10 – KJV)
All Scriptures above were found on biblehub.com
RELATED VIDEOS
Video that my friend and dear sister-in-Christ put together regarding this issue has now been taken down.
Doreen Virtue’s Dishonesty
Justin Peters’ response to Joshua Chavez’s original video posted on May 2020:
Joshua’s Video Responding To Doreen Virtue’s Video – Posted May 11, 2020:
UPDATE: Joshua’s video has now been removed – Quick capture of his video can be seen further below.
UPDATE: 7-17-2020 As you can see, YouTube reinstated Joshua’s second video, as well!
Here again is the link to a reupload of this original video by Joshua Chavez that has documented information about this whole very extremely troubling situation regarding Doreen Virtue:
5-16-2020 UPDATE: There is now another upload of the original video by Joshua Chavez on YouTube, as well:
CHRISTIAN WRITER AND SPEAKER, WARREN B SMITH, WHO WAS ONCE DEEPLY INVOLVED IN THE NEW AGE:
PLAYLIST – WARREN WARNS CHRISTIANS ABOUT THE NEW AGE AND APOSTASY
ANOTHER VERY BIBLICAL AND IMPORTANT PRESENTATION GIVEN BY WARREN B SMITH
UPDATE: 7-17-2020MY FINAL CLOSING COMMENTS:
After watching Joshua’s latest video that you can watch directly below, I must confess that I was wrong to say that Joshua was being unloving towards Doreen because of some of the things that he had said in his previous videos. When a professing Christian is in error and is teaching error, we are to rebuke them sharply as Jesus Himself did, and as many of the apostles did, as well!
Also, because of some documented evidence that Joshua shared in THIS VIDEO (entitled, ‘DISQUALIFIED,’ which I have also posted below) regarding Justin Peters, I no longer trust Justin Peters or believe all that he had said concerning what he knew about Doreen before he accepted his invitation to be her guest on her YouTube Channel. Although Justin Peters has done a wonderful job of exposing the many heretical teachings in the Word of Faith Movement, his soft spoken manner can be very misleading; we must always test everything against Scripture and the truth that is presented to us regardless of how we may feel about a person!
JOSHUA CHAVEZ – MOST PROFESSING CHRISTIANS WOULD HAVE HATED JESUS
UPDATE JULY 20, 2020 – VIDEOS – I DOCUMENT, YOU PRAY FOR DISCERNMENT AND DECIDE FOR YOURSELF
JOSHUA CHAVEZ – VIDEO POSTED JUNE 19, 2020
THE VIDEO BELOW IS JUSTIN PETERS’ RESPONSE TO JOSHUA’S ABOVE VIDEO – THIS VIDEO WAS POSTED ON JULY 10, 2020
[NOTE: JUST SO YOU KNOW, I DO NOT FOLLOW OR ENDORSE JACOB PRASCH WHOM JUSTIN SPEAKS OF AT ONE POINT IN THIS VIDEO.]
After watching Justin Peters’ above video, I must tell you that even though I completely reject his Reformed Theology, I now believe Justin’s explanation regarding the other e-mails that were sent to him warning him about Doreen Virtue and the reason he gave for why he did not see them.
DOREEN VIRTUE’S APOLOGY VIDEO THAT INCLUDES AN ANALYSIS OF HER VISION WITH GUEST, CHRIS ROSEBROUGH, CAN BE SEEN AT THE LINK BELOW. [IMPORTANT NOTE: Many years ago I shared some of Chris Rosebrough’s videos with you in some of my posts in which he analyzed the sermons of some professing Christian pastors and teachers, such as Steven Furtick, and at that point I saw some value in his ministry. However,I no longer endorse him due to some of the things that have come to my attention, such as him being a Lutheran pastor who preaches in front of a statue of Jesus.]
This will probably be my last update for you on this post. If you would like to know the latest, then check both Joshua’s and Justin’s YouTube channels as well as Doreen’s channel from time to time. However, I encourage you instead to earnestly pray for Joshua Chavez, Justin Peters, and especially for Doreen Virtue, because there are some serious issues regarding Doreen and her soon to be released book in which she still speaks about her alleged vision of Jesus. If she is now in doubt about her vision regarding if it was Jesus or a demon that she actually saw, one must ask this important question:
If she took down her video about her vision that was on her website as well as on her YouTube channel because she did not want her vision experience to be a stumbling block for anyone and she didn’t want to cause confusion, (see video entitled, ‘DOREEN ANSWERS FAQ’S at the link below the following quick capture), why then is she openly and boldly posting advertisements on her Facebook page for her new book that includes the account of her vision?
Although I am trying to be gracious towards Doreen and not judge her heart or her motives, as a Berean at heart (Acts 17:11) I see the need to bring the following information to your attention:
After listening to DOREEN VIRTUE’S VIDEO in which she reads her revised version of Chapter 9 of her new book, DeceivedNo More, and talks about her alleged vision of Jesus, here are some troubling things that you need to be aware of:
As I was listening to her read from Chapter 9, a few things that she wrote in this revised version sent red flags waving and alarm bells going off in my spirit. Beginning at the 14:12 minute mark until the 14:36 minute mark, you will hear Doreen say this:
“…when the demon tried to tempt me by appearing as Jesus, God melted the snow upon my heart and allowed the Biblical truth to finally penetrate my heart. These were legitimate epiphanies, a term which means insights that help you to suddenly realize a deep spiritual truth. You might say it’s like a divine download.”
The term divine download is a New Age term, and you can see some examples of this by clickingHERE
Starting at the 18:05 minute mark until the 18:35 minute mark of this same video, Doreen said the following:
“I did not identify as a sinner because I didn’t understand the nature and the gravity of sin. My false beliefs unraveled as I had this epiphany. It was like I could feel the extreme weight of humanity’s sins striking Jesus’ crucified body like agonizing arrows. Of course I felt only a fraction of the weight and the suffering that Jesus endured on the cross to save us, but this realization radically transformed my beliefs. “
It’s very troubling to see that Doreen chose to keep that mystical experience that she claimed to have had in her revised version of Chapter 9. It brings to mind the Catholic mystic, Teresa of Avila, who allegedly had visions of Jesus and she claimed to have been pierced in her heart by arrows, as well:
Then beginning at the 24:14 minute mark, Doreen gives examples of how those in the New Age “ascribe healing and divination properties to each type of crystal.” She then goes on to mention two certain crystals and the divination properties that are given to them by those in the New Age. IMHO, as a professing Christian, Doreen should not be sharing that type of occultic information to those who may be influenced by hearing something like that because it could easily lure some of her followers into dabbling in the occult! This is why it is so very important for Christians to not only be followers of Jesus Christ alone, but also why it is so very important for us as Christians to test everything in light of Scripture and to focus on the truth that is found in God’s Word alone and not on any experience that a professing Christian — or anyone — claims to have had! END OF UPDATE
UPDATE: August 24, 2020 After watching the two following videos I saw the need to add them to this post so that you all can be aware of the disturbing facts regarding Doreen that cannot be denied:
Thank you very much for stopping by today.
Please keep Doreen Virtue and this entire situation in prayer. Pray that the whole truth will be made known and that God will be glorified in and through all of this. And, although Joshua Chavez has brought forth a lot of troubling things, I do pray that he will learn not to be so harsh and cruel with his attitude and words and try to present the truth in a more loving manner.
I do sincerely pray for Doreen, because only God knows her heart and her motives.
God Bless You
~Mary Dalke – Living4HisGlory – Reflections Of His Glory Photography
Featured photo taken by Mary K Dalke – Reflections Of His Glory Photography
Scripture added to photo by Mary K Dalke using Pixlr X free online photo editor
UPDATE:
Due to the fact that I have taken the past few days to research and to write this post, it will probably be another two week or so before I am able to finish the next post in my present series, Comparing Scriptures In A Catholic New Testament Bible To Teachings Found In The Catechism Of The Catholic Church — Dear Catholic Are You Going To Believe The Word Of God, Or The Word Of Man? UPDATE: Already completed and posted.
Time does not permit me to write a lengthy post because of circumstances in my life right now. However, I put aside doing some other things because I see a serious need to write this post in order to draw your attention to what has happened — and what is presently happening — that is not only bringing unbiblical unity between Bible believing Christians and Catholics, but also I would like to show you how some mystical teachings present in the Catholic church (namely their teachings regarding the “real presence” of Jesus in their communion wafers) are being used to lure many Christians into the Catholic church because they are failing to test things against Scripture to see if what is being said is true or not. (Acts 17:11)
This is going to be a very delicate subject matter and my intent is not to offend any Catholics who may come across this post and read it. However, the truth must be told, and sometimes the truth offends people, but the truth regarding all that Jesus Christ accomplished for us sets us free, and this post will also be focusing on those important truths backed up by Scripture!
Let’s begin:
POINT 1 – UNITY
Many Christians have accepted the false premise that “the protest [between Christians and Catholics] is over,” and therefore we should work towards unity with them.
I clearly remember the sick feeling that came over me when I first watched a video like the one that I posted for you below in which Kenneth Copeland introduced Episcopal Bishop, Tony Palmer, to the people in attendance at his church who then proceeded to present a message that left me (and many other Christians) speechless and in shock! Not only was I in shock as I heard Tony Palmer declare that “the protest is over,” but also I was in shock at the lack of discernment that showed by the response of the people at Kenneth Copeland’s church as they listened to Tony Palmer’s message about “unity.” First Tony Palmer stated:
“…most of your fear [of uniting with Catholics] is based on propaganda.”
Then many of the people clapped after he said the following, starting shortly after the 25:19 minute mark:
“Brothers and sisters, Luther’s protest is over. Is yours?” “If there is no more protest, how can there be a Protestant church? Maybe we’re now we’re all Catholics again. But we are reformed. We’re catholic in the universal sense. We’re not protesting the doctrine of salvation by the Catholic church any more. We now preach the same gospel. We now preach you’re saved by grace through faith…alone! The word “alone” was the argument for 500 years…the protest is over.”
Regarding the above video, I would also like to point out that at the 31:44 minute mark, a video is played in which Pope Francis addresses the people at Kenneth Copeland’s church and speaks about “unity,” as well, which I won’t be addressing in this post.
As a former Catholic who not only attended twelve years of Catholic school, but also attended thousands of “Masses” at Catholic churches, I can say without any doubt in my mind, that the Catholic church does not “preach the same gospel” as Tony Palmer once declared. (I say “once” because Tony Palmer died on July 20th, 2014 shortly after a motorcycle accident which happened just months following his presentation regarding “unity”that took place at Kenneth Copeland’s church). That is one reason why I started writing the series comparing the Catechism of the Catholic Church to a Catholic New Testament Bible; to make it clear to those who read this blog from time to time, that the Catholic church teaches “another Jesus” and “another gospel,” (2 Corinthians 11:4, Galatians 1:6-9) both with no power to save! Those are very strong accusations to make, and I am certainly not the only one who has made those claims, but what I will be sharing with you in this post will show you how the Catholic church deviates from the truth of God’s Word and adds to Scripture things that aren’t there, and takes away from Scripture truths that would open the eyes of many precious Catholics and fill them with joy if they only realized all that Jesus Christ truly accomplished for us! That happened to me (and to many other former Catholics) when I began to read a little Catholic New Testament, and I pray that it will happen to many other precious Catholics if they will choose to read their Bibles, as well.
Many Christians today are confused and rightfully alarmed as they continue to discover that some of their friends who profess to be Christians are now becoming Catholic. They are perplexed and disheartened and can’t understand the reason why. As a former Catholic, I would like to share some reasons with you as to why I believe this is happening, and I will do it all from a Biblical perspective as well as give you strong evidence to show you why, which leads us to:
POINT 2 – THE REAL PRESENCE – REKINDLE THE AMAZEMENT
There has been a plan underway for quite a few years now, in which Catholics have been trying to “rekindle the amazement” regarding their teachings on the “real presence” of Jesus Christ’s body, blood, soul, and divinity being in their communion wafers in the minds of Catholics, as well as non-Catholics. While doing research on this topic, I came across some videos in which Catholics say that when Jesus promised that He would never leave or forsake us, He fulfilled this promise by instituting the priesthood of the Catholic church so that they could continue offering up this sacrifice and in this way Jesus would be with us until the end of time. Here is a quick capture from a YouTube video to give you one example:
However, let’s look at what Jesus had to say, keeping in mind that we are not to add to what a verse or passage of Scripture says, or to take away from what it is saying:
“And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Matthew 28:20b)
Jesus also told His apostles of His promise to send His Holy Spirit, and that He would be with them forever:
“If you love me, you will obey what I command. And I will ask the Father, and He will give another Counselor to be with you forever –the Spirit of truth. I will not leave you comfortless. [Many other versions translate this by saying, “I will not leave you as orphans.”] I will come to you.” (John 14:15-18)
Therefore, we can see from God’s Word that not only did Jesus promise to be with believers forever, He also promised to send His Holy Spirit who would be with us forever. It is unbiblical to say that Jesus will be with us by having the bread and wine literally becoming His body, blood, soul, and divinity as Catholicism teaches:
“The mode of Christ’s presence under the Eucharistic species is unique. It raises the Eucharist above all the sacraments as “the perfection of the spiritual life and the end to which all the sacraments tend.” In the most blessed sacrament of the Eucharist “the body and blood, together with the soul and divinity, of our Lord Jesus Christ and, therefore, the whole Christ is truly, really, and substantially contained.” (Catechism Of The Catholic Church Para 1374)
Regarding the bread and wine literally becoming Jesus Christ’s flesh and blood, the Catholic church bases their belief by literally interpreting John 6:51-56
Here are those verses in context:
Jesus the Bread of Life
26Jesus answered them and said: Amen, amen, I say to you, you seek me, not because you have seen miracles, but because you did eat of the loaves and were filled.
27 Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that which endureth unto life everlasting, which the Son of man will give you. For him hath God, the Father, sealed.
28 They said therefore unto him: What shall we do, that we may work the works of God?
29Jesus answered and said to them: This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he hath sent.
30They said therefore to him: What sign therefore dost thou shew that we may see and may be lieve thee? What dost thou work?
31Our fathers did eat manna in the desert, as it is written: He gave them bread from heaven to eat.
32Then Jesus said to them: Amen, amen, I say to you; Moses gave you not bread from heaven, but my Father giveth you the true bread from heaven.
33For the bread of God is that which cometh down from heaven and giveth life to the world.
34 They said therefore unto him: Lord, give us always this bread.
35 And Jesus said to them: I am the bread of life. He that cometh to me shall not hunger: and he that believeth in me shall never thirst.
36 But I said unto you that you also have seen me, and you believe not.
37 All that the Father giveth to me shall come to me: and him that cometh to me, I will not cast out.
38Because I came down from heaven, not to do my own will but the will of him that sent me.
39 Now this is the will of the Father who sent me: that of all that he hath given me, I should lose nothing; but should raise it up again in the last day.
40 And this is the will of my Father that sent me: that every one who seeth the Son and believeth in him may have life everlasting. And I will raise him up in the last day.
41The Jews therefore murmured at him, because he had said: I am the living bread which came down from heaven.
42 And they said: Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How then saith he: I came down from heaven?
43Jesus therefore answered and said to them: Murmur not among yourselves.
44 No man can come to me, except the Father, who hath sent me, draw him. And I will raise him up in the last day.
45It is written in the prophets: And they shall all be taught of God. Every one that hath heard of the Father and hath learned cometh forth me.
46 Not that any man hath seen the Father: but he who is of God, he hath seen the Father.
47Amen, amen, I say unto you: He that believeth in me hath everlasting life.
49Your fathers did eat manna in the desert: and are dead.
50This is the bread which cometh down from heaven: that if any man eat of it, he may not die.
51I am the living bread which came down from heaven.
[52] If any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, for the life of the world.
52{53}The Jews therefore strove among themselves, saying: How can this man give us his flesh to eat?
53{54}Then Jesus said to them: Amen, amen, I say unto you: except you eat the flesh of the Son of man and drink his blood, you shall not have life in you.
54{55}He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood hath everlasting life: and I will raise him up in the last day.
55{56}For my flesh is meat indeed: and my blood is drink indeed.
56{57}He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood abideth in me: and I in him.
57{58} As the living Father hath sent me and I live by the Father: so he that eateth me, the same also shall live by me.
58{59} This is the bread that came down from heaven. Not as your fathers did eat manna and are dead. He that eateth this bread shall live for ever.
59{60} These things he said, teaching in the synagogue in Capharnaum.
60{61} Many therefore of his disciples, hearing it, said: This saying is hard; and who can hear it?
61{62}But Jesus, knowing in himself that his disciples murmured at this, said to them: Doth this scandalize you?
62{63}If then you shall see the Son of man ascend up where he was before?
63{64}It is the spirit that quickeneth: the flesh profiteth nothing. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life.” (SOURCE https://biblehub.com/drb/john/6.htm – Douay Rheims Catholic Version)
If one takes the time to read the above verses in context, it becomes clear in the last verse that Jesus was speaking figuratively, not literally. Even in some previous verses — verses 28-36 in that same Chapter — Jesus make it clear that by coming to him one will never go hungry (to eat), and by believing in Him one will never be thirsty (to drink):
“Jesus said to them, “I tell you the truth, it is not Moses who has given you the bread from heaven, but it is my Father who gives you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.” “Sir,” they said, “from now on give us this bread.” Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty.”
To add something to Scripture that is clearly not there, shows that this Catholic teaching of transubstantiation (the bread and wine change in substance and literally become the body, blood, soul, and divinity of Jesus Christ, while the appearance of the bread and wine stay the same), is completely unbiblical! If we are to take the above passage of Scripture literally, then it stands to reason that the meaning of verse 58/59 regarding those who receive communion in the Catholic church should not die but live forever, and this is clearly not happening.
There are many Scriptures that relate drinking — and eating — with eating God’s Word in a spiritual sense. Here are just a few of them:
“In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God’s Word all over again. You need milk, not solid food. Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil.” (Hebrews 5:12-14)
“Like newborn babies crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, now that you have tasted that the Lord is good.” (1 Peter 2:2,3)
“He humbled you, causing you to hunger and then feeding you with manna, which neither you nor your ancestors had known, to teach you that man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord.” (Deuteronomy 8:3)
“I have not departed from the commands of his lips; I have treasured the words of his mouth more than my daily bread.” (Job 23:12)
“How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth! I gain understanding from your precepts; therefore I hate every wrong path.” (Psalm 119:103)
“Thy words were found, and I did eat them, and thy word was to me a joy and gladness of my heart: for thy name is called upon me, O Lord God of hosts.” (Jeremiah 15:16)
In the Catholic church they have a time of worship of the communion host which is called Eucharistic Adoration. During this time the host is placed in what is called a monstrance like the one pictured below, and Catholics truly believe that Jesus Christ is truly present, body, blood, soul, and divinity:
In this depiction of Jesus Christ, (an example of Catholic art that I came across during my time of research for another post), He is seemingly being held captive within the tabernacle and beckoning Catholics to come and visit Him. He is rendered to a state of being weak, helpless, and lonely:
Nothing could be further from the truth! Here are just a few Scriptures that show where He is and what He is doing today which shows His power and glory and rest from all that He accomplished for us:
“The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven.” (Hebrews 1:3)
“Now there have been many of those priests, since death prevented them from continuing in office; but because Jesus lives forever, he has a permanent priesthood. Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them.” (Hebrews 7:23-25)
“The point of what we are saying is this: We do have such a high priest, who sat down at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in heaven, and who serves in the sanctuary, the true tabernacle set up by the Lord, not by man.” (Hebrews 8:1,2)
“Who is he that condemns? Christ Jesus, who died — more than that, who was raised to life — is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us.” (Romans 8:34)
“I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you will know him better. I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is like the working of his mighty strength, which he exerted in Christ when he raised when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every title that can be given, not only in the present age but also in the one to come.” (Ephesians 1:17-21)
“Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God.” (Colossians 3:1)
“For Christ did not enter a man-made sanctuary that was only a copy of the true one; he entered heaven itself, now to appear for us in God’s presence. Nor did he enter heaven to offer himself again and again, the way the high priest enters the Most Holy Place every year with blood that is not his own. Then Christ would have had to suffer many times since the creation of the world. But now he has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to do away with sin by the sacrifice of himself. Just as man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment, so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many people; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him.” (Hebrews 9:24-28)
“Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” (Hebrews 12:2)
“My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have an advocate with the Father—Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world.” (1 John 2:1,2)
God’s Word shows us that Jesus Christ came into our world willingly:
“I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine. As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep. And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd. Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again. No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father.” (John 10:14,15)
1 For the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect.
2For then would they not have ceased to be offered? because that the worshippers once purged should have had no more conscience of sins.
3 But in those sacrifices there is a remembrance again made of sins every year.
4 For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins.
5 Wherefore when he cometh into the world, he saith, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared me:
6 In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin thou hast had no pleasure.
7 Then said I, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me,) to do thy will, O God.
8 Above when he said, Sacrifice and offering and burnt offerings and offering for sin thou wouldest not, neither hadst pleasure therein; which are offered by the law;
9 Then said he, Lo, I come to do thy will, O God. He taketh away the first, that he may establish the second.
10 By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.
11 And every priest standeth daily ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins:
12 But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God;
13 From henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstool.
14 For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified.
15 Whereof the Holy Ghost also is a witness to us: for after that he had said before,
16 This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord, I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them;
17 And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more.
18 Now where remission of these is, there is no more offering for sin. (Hebrews 1:1-18 KJV)
God used the above passage of Scripture to open my eyes to see just how false and heretical the Sacrifice of the Mass truly was — and is — and reading this powerful truth in God’s Word was the main reason why I left the Catholic church –for good!
In spite of the evidence in God’s Word that I just shared with you that clearly shows Jesus Christ willingly came into our world, and that He also laid His life down for us willingly, Catholicism presents Jesus Christ to precious Catholics as being a “Victim“ and therefore they do not see Him as being completely victorious over sin and death:
“The sacrifice of Christ and the sacrifice of the Eucharist are one single sacrifice: “The victimis one and the same: the same now offers through the ministry of priests, who then offered himself on the cross; only the manner of offering is different.” “And since in this divine sacrifice which is celebrated in the Mass, the same Christ who offered himself once in a bloody manner on the altar of the cross is contained and offered in an unbloody manner…this sacrifice is truly propitiatory.” (Catechism of the Catholic Church Para 1367)(Emphasis in red is mine).
God’s Word makes it clear in Hebrews 9:22:
“In fact, the law requires that nearly everything be cleansed with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.”
So for the Catholic church to teach that the sacrifice of Christ and sacrifice of the Eucharist are one single sacrifice, yet now He is offered in an unbloody manner, according to Scripture there is no way that this “sacrifice” could ever be “truly propitiatory,” ifit was even possible.
“The Eucharistic sacrifice is also offered for the faithful departed who “have died in Christ but are not yet wholly purified,” so that they may be able to enter into the light and peace of Christ:
“Put this body anywhere! “Don’t trouble yourselves about it! I simply ask you to remember me at the Lord’s altar wherever you are.” (Quote said by St. Monica before her death, to her sons.)
Then, we pray [in the anaphora] for the holy fathers and bishops who have fallen asleep, and in general for all who have fallen asleep before us, in the belief that it is a great benefit to the souls on whose behalf the supplication is offered, while the holy and tremendous Victim is present…”(Catechism of the Catholic Church Para 1371) (Emphasis in red is mine).
The above video is a presentation given by Tim Francis regarding a woman named, Catalina Rivas, who allegedly manifests the stigmata –the bleeding wounds of Jesus. Also in this video are reports of alleged hosts that bled after being soaked in water. The hosts were brought to specialists in order to be examined. Not knowing what they were examining, the specialists said that it “contained real flesh and blood and human DNA.” It was also stated by one specialist that it was “… part of the muscle of the heart found in the wall of the left ventricle; it’s the muscle that gives the heart its beat and the body its life.” -Dr. Fredrick Zugibe (See video below towards the end of this post).
Catalina Rivas also claims to receive messages from Jesus. (I quick captured many of these so-called messages from Jesus to Catalina from a similar video like the one above, and posted them for you below. The original video that I watched no longer seems to be available on YouTube, and in the video above Tim Francis only reads some of the messages; they are not shown).
In Hebrews 1:1, the truth of God’s Word proves the above message as being false:
“In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son.”
God’s Word is all we need. There are no new revelations or messages. Jesus already revealed to us all that we need to know. If Jesus was truly speaking to many people today, the messages would not contradict Scripture. Pray for discernment and then please read the following messages in light of God’s truth revealed in Scripture and test them to see if what is being said is true or not:
In the following video, Tim Francis explains his strategy in using his seven week series, one reason being to share these mystical experiences in order to reach non-Catholics. At the end of the video he says the following:
“I think this is premium fertile ground to reach the evangelical community…” I had some evangelicals on the front row Thursday night and he came up to me afterwards and he said…”I’m speechless…we gotta talk.” “So we’re definitely going to get their attention.”
IN CLOSING
So much more could be said, and I may update this post with more information and comments, if time allows, but I think I have shared enough information with you for now. Therefore, I will close by saying the following:
No, dear Christian. We can never, ever unite with Catholics. Instead we must stand on the foundation of our faith which is the Word of God, and Jesus Christ our Cornerstone, and lovingly share Biblical truth with them! Loving precious Catholics is a must, but Protestants and Catholics are divided for many good reasons, and we can never unite with them because of these doctrinal differences that do not line up with Scripture:
Their “Tradition” which the Catholic church proclaims is equal to Scripture (Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC) Para 80,81,82), but it oftentimes nullifies the Word of God
Their teaching on purgatory; a place of fiery punishment where Catholics are told they go after death in order to be purged from sin and to suffer for an undetermined amount of time for the temporal punishment due for sin, (CCC Para 1030)which leads dear Catholics to wrongly believe they have a second chance after death to attain heaven, and it also causes them to wrongly believe that Jesus Christ did not pay the full debt for all of our sins
Their teachings on the sacramental system and how the sacraments are necessary for salvation (CCC Para 1129) that causes many precious Catholics to depend on the sacraments as a means of grace; a grace which is earned by what they do, and is not freely given like the Bible declares
Their teaching on the Sacrifice of the Mass which the Catholic church declares is an “unbloody sacrifice,” and that they are simply “rē prē sen´ ting” the once for all sacrifice before the Father, when in fact the Catechism of the Catholic Church also says that it is a continual sacrifice (CCC Para 1367, Canons and Decrees of the Council of Trent – Chapter IX Canon III)
Their teaching that declares when the priest says the words of consecration over the host and the wine during the Sacrifice of the Mass, the bread and the wine literally becomes the body, blood, soul, and divinity of Jesus Christ (CCC Para 1367, 1374)
Their teaching that says a person becomes born again through the sacrament of baptism (CCC Para 1213,1215)
Their teachings regarding the Virgin Mary that say she was assumed into heaven (CCC Para 966, 974) that she was conceived without sin and remained sinless (CCC Para 491, 493), remained a virgin after Jesus was born (CCC Para 499,500)
Their teaching that says, “Outside of the Catholic church there is no salvation.” (CCC Para 846)
Doctrine divides, and only Biblical truth unites! They may use many of the same words as we do, such as born again, grace, and salvation, , but what they mean when they use these terms is something entirely different than what is taught in Scripture.
If you study church history you will discover that many Christians gave their lives rather than to embrace the teachings regarding “transubstantiation” and “the real presence.” Instead of uniting with Catholics out of an emotional response that can occur at these ecumenical gatherings, we must remain separate, stand on the truth that is made clear in Scripture, and reach out with genuine love and show precious Catholics the truth that can be found in God’s Word so that they see all that Jesus Christ accomplished through His once for all sacrifice! We must point them to Jesus Christ and show them in His Word who He really is and all that He accomplished for us! We must show them that they cannot come to God through Mary or the saints by showing them that Jesus Christ is the only Mediator between God and men (1 Timothy 2:5) and that He is the only way to the Father! (John 14:6) We must encourage them to read God’s Word and to think for themselves and to test what they have been taught by the Catholic church against God’s Word to see if it is true or not! (Acts 17:11)
If precious Catholics will read the Bible, God will be the one who will show them what an abomination the Sacrifice of the Mass is when they see how it is a complete denial of the sufficiency of His “once for all” sacrifice that was sufficient to pay the debt of all of our sins in full!!
Dear Catholic, I pray that you will also consider reading the Bible and take time to think carefully about all that God’s Word says in light of all that you have been taught. You must choose to believe the Word of God over the word of man, as we all must do, for what we choose to believe about Jesus Christ determines where we will spend eternity. Jesus Christ truly paid the debt for your sins in full — past and present. When He willingly hung on the cross in your place and mine, He took the full wrath of God upon Himself that was intended for all of us because of our sins. Before He died He cried out, “It is finished!” Tetelestai; the debt was paid in full. This is the good news of the Biblical gospel, and there is nothing that you can do to add to it or to earn God’s love and forgiveness; Jesus Christ did it all! Believe and receive this good news and rejoice in all that He did for you!
Dear Christian, I pray that you will now realize the extreme importance of reading and studying God’s Word! Value the fact that we have the actual words of God after they were recorded by man as they were moved by the Holy Spirit to write all that is contained within the 66 Canonical Books of the Bible. Do not seek to have spiritual experiences and end up being deceived by Catholic mystical teachings that are now coming into many churches via Contemplative Prayer, Taize, Lectio Divina, through messages allegedly given to visionaries from Jesus Christ, the Virgin Mary, etc., and do not be deceived by Catholicism’s teachings regarding the real presence.
Never forget the warnings in Scripture about signs and wonders, spiritual deception in the last days, and false teachers. Here are a few of them:
“Then some of the Pharisees and teachers of the law said to him, “Teacher, we want to see a sign from you.” He answered, “A wicked and adulterous generation asks for a sign! But none will be given it except the sign of the prophet Jonah.For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of a huge fish, so the Son of Man will be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. ” (Matthew 12:38-40)
“Now I know that none of you among whom I have gone about preaching the kingdom will ever see me again. Therefore, I declare to you today that I am innocent of the blood of all men. For I have not hesitated to proclaim to you the whole will of God. Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God, which he bought with his own blood. I know that after I leave, savage wolves will come in among you and will not spare the flock. Even from your own number men will arise and distort the truth in order to draw away disciples after them. So be on your guard! Remember that for three years I never stopped warning each of you night and day with tears.” (Acts 20:25-31)
The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons.” (1 Timothy 4:1)
“Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world.” (1 John 4:1)
RELATED SCRIPTURES
“Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophets own interpretation. For prophecy never had its origin in the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.”(2 Peter 1:20,21)
“All Scripture is God breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.” (2 Timothy 3:16,17)
“There is another difference: those other priests were many because they died and could not continue their work. But Jesus lives on forever, and his work as priest does not pass on to someone else. And so he is able, now and always, to save those who come to God through him, because he lives forever to plead with God for them. Jesus, then, is the High Priest that meets our needs. He is holy; he has no fault or sin in him; he has been set apart from sinful men and raised above the heavens.” Hebrews 7:23-26)
“The death he died was death to sin, once and for all; and the life he now lives is life to God.” (Romans 6:10)
“For Christ himself died for you; once and for all he died for sins, a good man for bad men, in order to lead you to God.” (1 Peter 3:18 – Sacred Heart League Catholic Version)
“For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God.” (1 Peter 3:18 – NIV 1973, 1978, 1984)
[NOTE: I added the NIV translation to show you how the Catholic translation above presents Jesus simply as a “good man,” which causes the extreme contrast between the righteousness of Jesus Christ and our utter unrighteousness before a completely holy God to become lost. The Catholic translation above also says Christ died for you in order to lead you to God, whereas the NIV (as well as the KJV) says to bring you to God, not simply just lead you.]
“Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father but by me.” (John 14:6)
“…then know this, you and all the people of Israel. It is by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified but whom God raised from the dead, that this man stands before you healed. He is “the stone you builders rejected, which has become the capstone.” Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved.” (Acts 4:10-12)
“The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by hands.” (Acts 17:24)
“For there is one God and one mediator between God and man, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all men — the testimony given in its proper time.” (2 Timothy 2:5,6)
“When Christ came as high priest of the good things that are already here, He went through the greater and more perfect tabernacle that is not man-made, that is to say, not a part of this creation. He did not enter by means of the blood of goats and calves; but He entered the Most Holy Place once for all by His own blood, having obtained eternal redemption. The blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkled on those who are ceremonially unclean sanctify them so that they are outwardly clean. How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death so that we may serve the living God!” (Hebrews 9:11-14)
“For Christ did not enter a man-made sanctuary that was only a copy of the true one; He entered heaven itself, now to appear for us in God’s presence. Nor did He enter heaven to offer Himself again and again, the way the high priest enters the Most Holy Place every year with blood that is not his own. Then Christ would have had to suffer many times since the creation of the world. But now He has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to do away with sin by the sacrifice of Himself. Just as man is destined to die once and after that to face judgment, so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many people; and He will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for Him.” (Hebrews 9:24-28)
“For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God.” (1 Peter 3:18)
“For if a law had been given that could impart life, then righteousness would certainly have come by the law. But the Scripture declares that the whole world is a prisoner of sin, so that what was promised, being given through faith in Jesus Christ, might be given to those who believe. Before this faith came, we were held prisoners by the law, locked up until faith should be revealed. So the law was put in charge to lead us to Christ that we might be justified by faith.” (Galatians 3:21-24)
“But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8)
“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith — and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God –not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” (Ephesians 2:8-10)
“This is love: not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.” (1 John 4:10)
“But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, He saved us, not because of righteous things we have done, but because of His mercy.” (Titus 3:4,5)
“I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life.” (1 John 5:13)
“Blessed are they whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man whose sin the LORD will never count against him.” (Romans 4:7,8)
RELATED VIDEOS
In the following video you will see an alleged communion wafer at a Catholic church that had fallen on the floor. Since Catholics believe it to be the body, blood, soul, and divinity of Jesus Christ, instead of it being thrown away it was immersed into water to dissolve. Instead of dissolving it began to move and pulsate within the container type monstrance. A comment made under this video on YouTube suggested it was a living fetus; an aborted baby. How horrific if this is true!
As convincing as what this doctor says in the above video may sound to us, we must remember what God’s Word says:
“For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.” (Matthew 24:24)
“The coming of the lawless one will be in accordance with how Satan works. He will use all sorts of displays of power through signs and wonders that serve the lie, and all the ways that wickedness deceives those who are perishing. They perish because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. For this reason God sends them a powerful delusion so that they will believe the lie and so that all will be condemned who have not believed the truth but have delighted in wickedness.” (2 Thessalonians 2:9-12)
FORMER DOMINICAN PRIEST OF 22 YEARS, RICHARD BENNETT, GIVES PRESENTATIONS IN THE FOLLOWING VIDEOS:
NOTE: The above video is for informational purposes only; as much as I appreciate many of their thorough series’ regarding Catholicism, I do not endorse the ministry of Christian Answers because of their adherence to Reformed Theology and Calvinism.
Thank you very much for stopping by today.
God Bless You
~Mary Dalke/Living4HisGlory
UPDATE:
I am taking some time off now in order to enjoy the rest of the summer with my family and friends, and I also need some time off in order to start looking for another childcare job or some other type of job. Then, Lord willing, I will go back to writing the series in which we will be continuing to compare the teachings from the Catechism of the Catholic Church with a Catholic New Testament Bible with the hope of not only showing precious Catholics how some of their teachings do not line up with what God says in His Word, but also with the hope of showing Christians the errors in Catholicism so they can be equipped to share the good news of the Biblical gospel with their precious Catholic friends and relatives. We must choose to believe God’s Word over man’s word if it contradicts it in any way.
When that series is completed, Lord willing, I will then finish up the series regarding the alleged Apparitions of the Virgin Mary in light of Scripture to clearly show that these apparitions are not the Mary of the Bible, but rather they are truly demons in disguise because many of the messages that are reportedly given during apparitions to the visionaries magnify Mary and reduce Jesus Christ’s power and glory by what is said.
Are you aware of the dangers of Contemplative Spirituality? Would you know error as soon as you heard or saw something? Do you take the time to do some research on authors of books that are mentioned or suggested for you to read by those in leadership at your church before reading them? I pray that this post will help you learn to discern and show you just how very important it is to not only read and study God’s Word and to pray for discernment, but also how very important it is to always be alert for spiritual deception! I also pray that you will see just how subtle spiritual deception begins and how it can dangerously progress and lead you away from Biblical truth!
Before we begin, here’s some background information:
I used to be on Twitter quite frequently a few years ago. However, going on Twitter, as well as on Facebook, can turn the intended amount of time of being on there for just fifteen or twenty minutes, to at least an hour or two if you get drawn into commenting on a tweet or a post that you see the need to express your appreciation for or concerns about. It made me realize just how time consuming social media can be! All that to say this: I decided to go back on Twitter recently because I saw a huge spike in my blog stats on May 3rd, and the views were all coming from Twitter. Everyone was reading one of my most popular posts regarding why I left my church, HarvestBible Chapel Rolling Meadows, back in 2012 after attending there for 14 1/2 years: https://living4hisglory.wordpress.com/2012/07/08/warning-you-with-tears/ Jessica Hockett, also a former member of Harvest Bible Chapel, had discovered my post and after realizing that she had been — and continues to be — an important person in the ongoing investigation regarding the misappropriation of funds by former Pastor, James MacDonald, and the wrongdoings and coverups that have been taking place at Harvest Bible Chapel Rolling Meadows, I began to read up on the very latest of what had been happening.
Now, to get to the important point of this post:
After a few weeks of being on Twitter and connecting with many people who also have serious concerns about those who once were in leadership there, and concerns regarding some who are still in leadership, as well as love and concern for the people who are still attending there, I saw that some people had posted a recording of a recent HARVEST BIBLE CHAPEL ROLLING MEADOWS FAMILY MEETING – (MAY 29, 2019) and decided to listen to see what people were being told by those in leadership and to also see if any emotional manipulation was taking place. There definitely was some emotional manipulation taking place by what was being said to those in attendance, but this post is going to focus on something else that is equally or even more serious. I will continue now by telling you what I heard in that audio that urged me to write this post in order to send out a serious warning not only to those who are still attending Harvest Bible Chapel, but also to everyone because these types of unbiblical teachings are coming full force into many churches these days through so-called Spiritual Formation classes and similar classes!
NOTE: To those of you who may now be reading this post and are still choosing to continue attending Harvest Bible Chapel, (the Rolling Meadows location especially), I want to clearly state beforehand that my intention in writing this post is not to bring you any more pain as you are all trying to heal, but rather to help you — and every one else — realize the importance of thinking for yourselves, to help you realize the necessity of examining the Scriptures daily to see if what is being said is true (Acts 17:11), to alert you to what some — or all — of your leaders are involved in, and to give you information about some troubling things that they have already presented to some of you, and information about what they may very well present to you in the near future.
Although this information mainly has to do with HBC, this information is as relevant to every other Christian because what I am about to share with all of you is coming into many churches through numerous pastors, teachers, and authors of books that are being promoted at many churches these days.
Now back to the main thing that I heard as I listened to the audio of the family meeting at HBCRM and what I discovered after doing a lot of research:
As I continued listening, I heard Greg Bradshaw encourage everyone to “read” this summer and to “get a good book.” He mention a book entitled, Emotionally Healthy Church beginning at the 24:18 minute mark by saying:
“We’re reading as a church — we provided for our staff — ‘Emotionally Healthy Church.’ We’re reading ‘Emotionally Healthy Church’ book this summer as a staff…”
I had never heard of that book before, so I decided to do some research on it, as well as taking some time to do some research on the author, Peter Scazzero. Here are some of the alarming things that I discovered:
Here is what you will see on the Our Vision page on the website of the church that Pete pastors — New Life Fellowship Church — that is located in Queens, New York. Red flag words: Spiritual formation practices, Monastic values, contemplative and monastic traditions, Desert Fathers and Mothers, and monks.
The following 1 hour and 16 minute video is the first of many videos that I watched and listened to in order to find out as much as possible about Pete Scazzero and what he teaches. Below the video you will see a list of notes that I took as I listened. I did that for you for the first 30 minutes of the video.
Pete says people are not experiencing deep transformation.
Mentions self awareness, managing one’s triggers under stress
Pete claims to have had 4 conversions
Notices and says, “People are not changing deeply in our church.”
1994 Pete starts an inward journey for 2 years
Started Christian counseling
His wife confronted him on how he’s not a strong leader – left his church, attended another one
Pete shows diagram created by now deceased professor of Fuller Theological Seminary , Robert Guelich, and claims Emotional Health and Spiritual Maturity are inseparable
Emotional component
He claims he and his wife were “born-again” again
1996-2003 Claims “a little revolution took place in our church just by bringing in the emotional component”
He still felt “something more was needed.” He “began to read quite a bit about Monasticism.”
2003, 2004 – For a 4 month period he and his wife “visited a variety of monasteries and lived rhythms of silence and solitude.”
A revolution. Third conversion.
Pete says about Christians in general, “We’re so busy we have to live off other people’s spirituality.”
Got people connected personally with God directly
Made drastic move to slow down their lives
“…people’s lives began to be radically transformed…finally wrote it down into a couple of books.”
The description that can be found under the following video on YouTube, says:
“Pete Scazzero interviews Rosy Kandathil about her experiences at the Monastery. Rosy is a former staff and pastor at New Life Fellowship and began a journey to become a Benedictine Sister.”
Being a former Catholic, I find it very troubling that he presented this woman, Rosy Kandathil, who was once a “pastor” at his church and who is now in the process of becoming a Benedictine nun to speak to the people at his church, but it further shows that he is clearly promoting Catholicism and Contemplative New Age spirituality.
Just in case the following video entitled, ‘Pete Scazzero Interviewing a Trappist Monk on Prayer‘ disappears for some reason, I did a quick capture of it for you to document the fact that Pete Scazzero is promoting eastern mysticism and Catholicism by featuring William Meninger, a Catholic trappist monk, at his church. Once again I must ask a question: Why would a professing Christian pastor choose to have a monk speak at his church if he wasn’t?
Here is the video:
Below are some quick captures from the above video that will show you how Pete Scazzero has embraced the teachings of Catholicism regarding communion, that being that Jesus Christ is truly present in the elements of bread and wine and that Jesus comes into us when we take communion:
Here is a reminder for you of what it says in the Catechism of the Catholic Church regarding their communion which they call, the Eucharist:
“In the most blessed sacrament of the Eucharist “the body and blood, together with the soul and divinity, of our Lord Jesus Christ and, therefore the whole Christ is truly, really, and substantially contained.” (Para 1374 CCC)
Here is one of the anathemas (curses) regarding the Eucharist that you will find in the Canons and Decrees of the Council of Trent:
Canon 3 “If anyone saith that the Sacrifice of the Mass is only a sacrifice of praise and of thanksgiving; or that it is a bare commemoration of the sacrifices consummated on the cross, but not a propitiatory sacrifice; or that it profits him only who receives; and that it ought not to be offered for the living and the dead for sins, pains, satisfactions, and other necessities; let him be anathema.”
[NOTE: Lord willing, I will be going in depth on the teaching of the Eucharist and the Sacrifice of the Mass in light of Scripture when we get to that part in the CCC book.]
One look at William Meninger in the following picture that was chosen as the main image for this video should leave no doubt in one’s mind that what he presents is not Biblical Christianity, but rather a form of mystical, New Age spirituality that is rooted in Buddhism, which is the same type of spirituality that Pete Scazzero is presenting at the church he pastors, New Life Fellowship Church in New York.
For those of you who have never heard of The Cloud of Unknowing, here are some resources for you to help you learn to discern so that you will not be deceived by this:
The reason I am concerned that these mystical, New Age practices might very well be encouraged to be practiced by those attending HBCRM is not only because this book by Pete Scazzero was mentioned by Greg Bradshaw at the Family Meeting as a book that is being read by the staff, but also because of what Greg Bradshaw said beginning at 16:03-16:46 minute mark which was:
“How do you rebuild hope? I told our staff and I’m telling you, ‘The way you rebuild hope is intimacy with God.’ There’s no shortcut… but if your struggling a little bit with hope, ‘What is this going to look like at our church,’ the way to build hope is intimacy with God. And how do you build intimacy with God? There’s no shortcut, it’s disciplines. It’s finding time to get alone with God. It’s called solitude.”
In order to show you that I am not merely speculating, here is some documented evidence that I came across in my research that will prove to you that as far back as 2012 Pete Scazzero and his Emotionally Healthy Spirituality (EHS) teachings have been promoted in some ways at HBC:
I am also very concerned for all of you at HBCRM because of Greg Bradshaw’s emphasis on having “intimacy with God” and “getting healthy” as a church in light of his focus on Pete Scazzero’s book, ‘Emotionally Healthy Church’ which clearly presents New Age/New Spirituality/Catholic mystical practices as ways to haveintimacywith God. After listening to the audio of HBC’s Family Meeting, I just strongly felt led to write this post as a warning of what might be presented to you this fall as the leadership at HBC seems to be raising a level of excitement about what they desire to see take place starting this fall season.
UPDATE 7/3/19 10:22 A.M.NOTE ADDED FOR CLARIFICATION:
I need to make it very clear that I am not saying that the leaders at Harvest Bible Chapel are intentionally and knowingly promoting these unbiblical, occultic teachings…they may be deceived into believing these are acceptable practices to do to bring one closer to God like so many other Christians have been (wrongly) led to believe. Harvest Bible Chapel leadership has been promoting Beth Moore and Priscilla Shirer for many years now, and these women (wrongly) teach how to hear God speak to you. (Please consider reading the following post to see the documentation that I have on these women: HARVEST BIBLE CHAPEL LEADERSHIP, CHRISTIAN LEADERS, AND THE LACK OF BIBLICAL DISCERNMENT). However, there is no excuse for pastors and teachers who are held to an even higher lever of accountability (James 3:1) to fall for or to present such unbiblical practices to the people at their churches. Sadly, when many pastors see that a certain teacher is popular, they simply order their so-called “Bible studies” and fail to take the time to test what they actually teach against the truth of God’s Word to see if it is true or not. Harvest Bible Chapel Rolling Meadows leadership has fail to be Biblical shepherds and to guard their flock from false teachers; instead they just invite them in: Mark Driscoll, Steven Furtick, Levi Lusko, etc.
“Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God which he bought with his own blood.” (Acts 20:28)
We are all called to: “Prove all things; hold fast that which is good. Abstain from all appearance of evil.” (1 Thessalonians 5:21,22) As Christians, we think that we can trust those in leadership, but that simply is not true. The only one who we can completely trust is Jesus Christ alone and His Holy Word that will endure forever. (1 Peter 1:25)
Besides constantly praying for discernment, now, more than ever before, we as Christians must: study God’s Word ( 2 Timothy 2:15 KJV), examine the Scriptures daily to see if what is being said (and done) is true (Acts 17:11) or not, and always be alert so that we are not deceived by the many ways in which our enemy, the devil, is attempting to devour us. (1 Peter 5:8)
Please also consider reading this post regarding Levi Lusko: HOW DISCERNING ARE YOU? He was a guest speaker at Harvest Bible Chapel Rolling Meadows in 2016 on January 2nd and 3rd. [NOTE: Just to let you know, this post also includes a Biblical analysis of a message that T D Jakes’ daughter (Sarah Jakes Roberts) preached, entitled, ‘The Displaced Crown,’ but she did not present this message at Harvest Bible Chapel. The video that she preached her message in was taken down shortly after I posted it.] END OF UPDATE
Dear Harvest Bible Chapel Rolling Meadows members and attendees — and every Christian — beware! Beware of what is being presented to you as ways to develop intimacy with God. We have God’s Word, the Bible. What more could we ever need in order to develop intimacy with God? Nothing more! Especially when the practices that are suggested for us to do in order to have intimacy with God is derived from unbiblical, New Age practices that can be found in Buddhism, Hinduism, and mystical practices derived from Catholicism –practices that open up doorways into the world of the occult!
“Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness? What harmony is there between Christ and Belial? Or what does a believer have in common with an unbeliever? What agreement is there between the temple of God and idols? For we are the temple of the living God. As God has said: “I will live with them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be my people.” Therefore, “Come out from them and be separate, says the Lord. Touch no unclean thing, and I will receive you.” And, “I will be a Father to you, and you will be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty.” (2 Corinthians 6:14-18)
“Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils.” (1 Timothy 4:1)
“In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and in view of his appearing and his kingdom, I give you this charge: Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction. For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths.” (2 Timothy 4:1-4)
“Now I know that none of you among whom I have gone about preaching the kingdom will ever see me again. Therefore I declare to you today that I am innocent of the blood of all men. For I have not hesitated to proclaim to you the whole will of God. Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God, which he bought with his own blood. I know that after I leave savage wolves will come in among you and will not spare the flock. Even from your own number men will arise and distort the truth in order to draw away disciples after them. So be on your guard. Remember that for three years I never stopped warning each of you night and day with tears.” (Acts 20:25-31)
Thank you very much for stopping by today.
God Bless You
~Mary Dalke – Living4HisGlory
RELATED VIDEOS
In the following video, Pete Scazzero, who is also the co-founder of Emotionally Healthy Discipleship (EHD), where they “help leaders around the world grow their people into mature disciples of Jesus,” tells us how EHD has “helped thousands of people move from a shallow Christianity to a deep authentic relationship with God, themselves, and others.“Although he may give some good suggestions in his courses, such as taking enough time to rest, to say that the Christianity of those who do not pursue the ways through which he suggests in his courses in order to be able to have a “deep authentic relationship with God” is “shallow Christianity,” is very troubling!
In the following video, ‘Pete’s Take on Daily Office,’ that you will find further below this quick capture from the video, Pete Scazzero has this to say beginning at the 1:31 minute mark:
“…but the silence to me is the quality that probably I found most significant because again, I’m being with Jesus my lover, and I’m quieting myself down, I’m centering in Christ and abiding in this love relationship allowing Him to love me and I’m loving Him back.” (Emphasis is mine).
This is sometimes referred to as spiritual romanticism; it is a completely unbiblical form of thinking in which we view Jesus Christ as our “lover.” This is frighteningly becoming a more common belief among professing Christian teachers (such as Ann Voskamp), and it leads Christians down an unbiblical and dangerous path!
In the video that you will find further below, which is entitled, ‘What is the Daily Office & Why is it Needed,’ at the 2:43 minute mark you will find this chart that shows ‘the core of the EHS (Emotionally Healthy Spirituality) Course.’ These are very similar to the experienced based methods that you will find in transcendental meditation and in the New Age Movement.
At the 3:23 minute mark in the video below you will hear Pete Scazzero quote Brother Lawrence, and at the 4:43 minute mark in this same video you will also hear Pete Scazzero quote Dallas Willard. Both of these men promoted unbiblical, contemplative, mystical, spirituality. (See information on these men that I have added below for you at the end of this post).
Beginning at the 5:09 minute mark in the same video that you will find further below, you will also see this chart with Silence & Stillness Guidelines that clearly present the same type of steps that you will find in eastern meditation practices in Buddhism, but they have been repackaged using Christian terminology:
Finally, here is the actual video, entitled: ‘What is the Daily Office & Why is it Needed?’
At the 4:12 minute mark in the following video you will hear Pete Scazzero say:
“Remember, the purpose of the Daily Office is to commune with God.”
He ends this video by saying: “…and I trust that you will find, as I have, that you are remembering and thinking of God much more throughout your days, in ways that you never imagined or did before.”
When anyone tells you to practice spiritual disciplines that are the same types of spiritual disciplines practiced by Buddhist and Catholic monks only Christianized to make them appear acceptable, or if you are told to read a certain book or that taking a specific course is going to change your spiritual life rather than telling you that all you need is to spend time with God in His spiritual life giving, life changing Word — the Bible — that should send up an immediatered flag within your spirit! We are sadly at a point in time when many professing Christian pastors and teachers are casting aside Biblical Christianity. Instead they are now focusing on man’s emotions and promoting having experiences with God that come directly out of the world of the occult!
I am sure that Pete Scazzero and his wife are probably very sincere and wonderful people, but they have sadly been deceived by accepting these unbiblical practices as ways to develop a deeper relationship with God. When trying to search for ways to help their people grow in their relationship with God and to grow spiritually, they have wandered off the Biblical path and are now presenting to their people — and to the world — teachings that are telling everyone to look inward instead of looking to God and seeking Him in His Word.
God is the only one who transforms us by His Word and by His Holy Spirit when we choose to believe the good news of the Biblical gospel and come to Him through Jesus Christ; transformation does not come about by looking inward and dwelling on the past and on our emotional pain and struggles. (Isaiah 43:18) (Philippians 3:13)
Jesus Christ was and is God in the flesh. Jesus, being fully God, took upon Himself human flesh and entered our sin-filled world. He lived the perfect, sinless life that we could never live, and became the perfect sacrifice. Jesus Christ, the spotless Lamb of God, willingly went to the cross where He bore all of our sins as well as all of our grief and sorrows, and God poured out all of His wrath intended for us because of our sins upon His one and only Son. He died in our place, was buried, and was gloriously raised to life on the third day in bodily form to show that God accepted His death as full payment for every one of our sins — no matter what we may have done! God is love, but He is also just. Therefore sin must be paid for, and Jesus paid our debt to sin in full –tetelestai. That is the life changing good news of the Biblical gospel that transforms a person’s life!
May I share a personal illustration with you? During the twelve years of my marriage I became a broken and shattered woman emotionally because of the way that my ‘husband’ treated me. However, everything began to change when I began to read the Bible and came to see the truly good news of the Biblical gospel for the first time and chose to believe it and to place my full trust in all that Jesus Christ accomplished for us. In the midst of my deep hurt I did not look inward. I cried out to God and read His Word often throughout each day as the tears fell and my heart broke in thousands of pieces. As I spent time in prayer and in His Word, God began to heal me and to renew my mind and troubled heart and I no longer based my worth as a person by how my ‘husband’ treated me, but rather by what God’s Word says. That is when my life began to change and God began to transform me into a new creation in Christ. Day by day I learned to trust God more, and day by day His strength became perfected in my weakness and His peace that surpasses all human understanding began to guard my heart and mind in Christ Jesus as I prayed and stopped worrying about everything. He proved Himself over and over to be faithful and able to meet all of my needs in ways that I never would have imagined!
I pray that Pete and his wife will begin simply seeking God in His Word and that one day he will cast these unbiblical practices out of his church, his books, and his presentations, as well, and that he will point his people — and all Christians — back to Jesus Christ — who was and is God in the flesh –so that they will find true and lasting transformation! As true Biblical Christians that is what we are all to do.
I hope you can now see that in many ways Christianity today is becoming more and more experiential based. Sadly, God’s Holy Word, the Bible, is now being used by many as a tool to bring one into an altered state of consciousness as it is twisted and repeated over and over. God’s Word is no longer seen as having the greatest importance as it is read and studied in context. The only way to truly come to know God is through coming to Jesus Christ in simple faith and believing that His “once for all sacrifice” was truly enough to pay the debt for all of our sins in full!
Please do not be deceived by these unbiblical types of practices that may sound very appealing to you emotionally, but at their very core is New Age Catholic mysticism.
RELATED VIDEOS
More videos to show you how William Meninger, who was a guest at Pete Scazzero’s church, is heavily involved in New Age/ New Spirituality/Buddhism/Catholic mysticism.
Here is some information regarding Fuller Theological Seminary, the seminary that now deceased Professor of New Testament, Robert Guelich taught at. He was the one who made the chart that Pete Scazzero showed in his presentation at the 22:32 minute mark in the first video entitled, ‘Emotionally Healthy Spirituality – An Evening With Pete Scazzero.’
Lord willing, another new post coming later this month or in August on this same subject regarding how Catholic mysticism is infiltrating many churches these days and leading many Christians astray in order to show the extreme importance of reading and studying God’s Word and praying for discernment.
Also coming later in July, Lord willing, will be another new post in the series in which we will continue comparing the teachings found in the Catechism of the Catholic Church to a Catholic New Testament to show precious Catholics the truly good news of the Biblical gospel and that many of the things that they are being taught, which is based on the traditions of men, contradicts God’s Word, the Bible. It is equally important for all Christians to know this information so that they not only come to realize the need to share the truly good news of the Biblical gospel with their dear Catholic friends and family, but also so that they will not be deceived into thinking that Catholicism is Biblical and end up being lured into Catholicism by one of many ways that have been devised by our enemy, the devil.
Thank you for joining me for Part 2 in this series in which I will be sharing more information with you to give you further evidence in order to show you that the entity that is appearing in these apparitions and claiming to be the Virgin Mary is not the Virgin Mary of the Bible, but rather a deceiving spirit that is bringing unity among all religions and leading many of them into the Catholic church. If you have not yet read Part 1 in this series yet and would like to, you may do so by clicking HERE
APPARITION OF THE VIRGIN MARY – JERUSALEM – 1954
In the following video you will hear about an alleged apparition of the Virgin Mary that took place at St. Anthony Coptic school in Jerusalem where Coptic Christians, as well as Catholics and Muslims attended:
THE APPARITIONS OF MARY AT ZEITOUN
In the video below (which can only be viewed on YouTube since playback on websites has been disabled by the video owner) you will hear the following concerning these silent apparitions that allegedly took place in Zeitoun, Egypt mainly between the years 1968 and 1970:
“As the years have gone by, these apparitions began to attract more and more people, sometimes gathering large crowds of 250 thousand people from different countries and faiths: Christians, Jews, Muslims and even nonbelievers ”
“…all the people present at the time — Christians and Muslims – could also see it.” “The silent apparitions at Zeitoun are considered to be an appeal to ecumenical and inter-religious dialogue.”
The following video gives further details concerning these alleged apparitions regarding healings that were said to have taken place –by the hand of the Virgin Mary. In one instance it is said that a woman came to Zeitoun in search of a cure. Here is the summary of one account:
As a woman who was dying of cancer laid in her bed and before she drifted off into a deep sleep, she was visited by the Virgin Mary who appeared with a small boy who handed the Virgin Mary a small knife. The Virgin Mary told her that she was going to remove the cancer. “Xray analysis proved that she was free of cancer completely.” ‘There was no sign of any wound or any opening.’
It is implied to those who hear about this particular incident in which the Virgin Mary allegedly appeared and healed the woman of cancer, that this small boy who appeared with her was Jesus Christ, thus causing many to wrongly believe that Mary has more power that Jesus Christ, who was reduced from being Creator, Savior of the world, and God, the second person of the Trinity, to a helpless young child who serves Mary.
At this point I would like to stop for a brief moment to share another account with you concerning the Virgin Mary so that you can see the following:
Precious Catholics are being presented with a works based salvation gospel and a gospel that causes them to wrongly place their trust in the traditions and doctrines of their church instead of only trusting in the once for all sacrifice of Jesus Christ and the truth that is presented in Scripture
The Virgin Mary is elevated in the eyes of Catholics by implying that she has more power and authority that Jesus Christ
Here is a portion of the account that I quick captured for you further below:
“One day the King [Alphonsus, King of Leon and Galicia] became very sick. He went unconscious, and everyone thought he was dead! When he was unconscious he had a vision, and found himself before the judgment seat of God. Many devils were there, telling all the sins he had committed, and Our Lord as the Judge, was just about to tell King Alphonsus that he was going to hell! Suddenly Our Lady appeared on the scene and asked for a pair of scales. She placed the King’s sins on one of the scales and on the other scale she put the rosary, which he had always worn, and the Rosaries that had been said because of his good example. The Rosaries weighed more than his sins!
“Looking at King Alphonsus with great kindness, Our Lady said: “As a reward for this little honor that you paid me in wearing my Rosary, I have obtained a great grace for you, from my Son, Jesus. Though you were supposed to go to Hell, you will be able to live for a few more years. See that you spend these years wisely, and do penance!”
When the King came to, he cried out: “Blessed be the Rosary of the Most High Virgin Mary. By her Rosary she has saved me from the terrible fires of Hell!”
Here are some Scriptures to refute the idea that we can be saved by our good works:
“For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; to declare I say at this time his righteousness, that he might be just, and the justifier of him who believeth in Jesus.” (Romans 3:23-26)
“For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.” (Ephesians 2:8-10)
“Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ: Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.”(Titus 2:13,14)
“But after the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared, not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and the renewing of the Holy Ghost; which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour; that being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.” (Titus 3:4-7)
Now back to the main focus of this post, which is how these alleged apparitions of the Virgin Mary are drawing many people of other religions into the Catholic church. I will then follow this section with information to show you the New Age/New Spirituality connection:
Below is a quick capture from an article in which you will read how “Muslims converted” because of these alleged apparitions that took place in Zeitoun, Egypt. Sadly, they did not convert by hearing about Jesus Christ and the Biblical gospel being preached to them, but rather by seeing apparitions of the Virgin Mary. This is not Biblical Christianity.
In the article below you will see how apparitions of the Virgin Mary are being credited for “the conversion of millions of people to Roman Catholicism.” It’s also interesting to note at what point in church history these alleged apparitions of the Virgin Mary to Juan Diego took place:
“…just as a large number of people were leaving the Catholic Church in Europe as a result of the Reformation, Our Lady of Guadalupe was instrumental in adding almost 8 million to the ranks of Catholics in the Americas between 1532 and 1538.”
In the following article, dated Aug. 11, 2oo9, Catholic News Agency reports that “the apparition of Our Lady of Guadalupe was a ‘salvation event’ specifically directed to evangelize of all of the Americas.”
One day when I first began doing research for the Fatima posts that I shared with you last year, I did a search on Lucia Santos, the oldest of the three children who claimed to have seen the apparitions of the Virgin Mary back in 1917, and just happened to come across the following video of two visionaries that I had never heard of before: Sister Lucia de Jesus and Friar Elias del Sagrado Corazon.
These alleged apparitions of Mary are among the many ways in which Catholicism is merging together with the New Age Movement. These messages claim to be “transmissions from the Virgin Mary” to visionaries, Lucia de Jesus and Friar Elias Del Segrado, (seen pictured below on the left), and are translated into English, (usually by this young woman on the right). The alleged apparitions have been taking place for ten years now, and these visionaries travel throughout the world bringing many supposed messages from Mary that speak of peace and unity.
They claim that the Virgin Mary has been transmitting messages to them for the past six to seven years. (Since 2011 for Friar Elias and 2012 for Lucia). As I listened to this video (and many more after it), it became very evident that these messages that were being transmitted were completely New Age in their beliefs because of their strong emphasis on unity and oneness, and did not resemble Biblical Christianity at all.
Sister Lucia and Friar Elias are part of an ecumenical movement that embraces all religions. In the quick capture below it says: “
The spirit of universality and ecumenism is the keynote of the Grace Mercy Order…”
“At Grace Mercy Order we aspire to live Christic universal love…”
Although, as stated above, they claim that they are “not linked to any religion but to the Christic life, in itself…” it is highly immersed in the traditions of the Catholic church as evidenced by the statues of Mary, Jesus, and Joseph, the rosary being prayed, the Eucharistic Christ being displayed in the monstrance, the sign of the cross being performed by those present at these gatherings, and more, as you will soon see further below in this post.
Here is some information that is posted on one of the YouTube channels that uploads some of the videos of these alleged apparitions of the Virgin Mary to the visionaries, Lucia De Jesus and Friar Elias:
Below is a brief history of the visionaries in which you will discover that allegedly Friar Elias began receiving messages from the Virgin Mary in 2011, and Sister Lucia began receiving them in 2012. According to this information there is another visionary, as well –Mother Maria:
Upon searching Facebook to see if I could find more information about these visionaries of the Grace and Mercy Order I found this page which will clearly show you the emphasis that this movement has on unity. Consider these words from the quick capture below and you decide if it reflects Biblical Christianity:
“As Mother of the World She is the Supreme Feminine Energy that is creator of all, and Her mantle encompasses all.”
This quick capture of their March 2017 Facebook page not only shows information about the latest messages allegedly transmitted to the visionaries through Mary, but also ones reportedly coming from Saint Josephand Jesus Christ:
God’s Word is clear that the Canon of Scripture is closed. However, would Jesus Christ really give a message like the one below if indeed He was still speaking today? Or is this rather a message that would come from a false Universal Christ? When you see the word “universe” capitalized, as you see it capitalized below, it denotes deity and life.
Many in the radical Environmental Movement believe that this planet [Universe] is a living being and oftentimes refer to it as Mother Earth or Gaia. If you’d like, you can read one of my former posts in which I shared some information on this:WARNING YOU WITH TEARS WEDNESDAY – EARTH DAY
Once again, although the Grace and Mercy Order claims they are not linked to any religion, you will now see more evidence of how Roman Catholicism is strongly being promoted:
Source – YouTube video entitled, ‘Apparition of the Virgin Mary Rose of Peace – Marian Center Menino Rei Brazil – Sept. 25, 2017
Starting at the 24:55 minute mark in the video below you will hear “the words that Mary transmitted for the apparition…” What you’re about to read is a very disturbing message that was allegedly transmitted to Sister Lucia from the Virgin Mary. As you read the following message, keep these questions in mind:
“Would the Mary of the Bible say these things? Or does this present a message akin to the New Age/New Spirituality movement that embraces all religions?
Here is the message allegedly given by the Virgin Mary to Sister Lucia:
“When the white buffalo would appear on the horizon, suddenly, walking with serenity before the eyes of the pure, it was a sign of prosperity and of hope. Its mouth did not speak. Its language was not known by humankind. Its silence would transmit the will of God to them. Its language was understood with the heart by those who knew how to become silent. When sadness flooded the hearts of humankind they cried out for the grace of seeing and of feeling the white buffalo. Its serenity calmed them and they felt the hope that the earth would remain fertile, alive, and sacred.
When the heart of the children of the earth was not reached in love and in joy, they cried out for the white buffalo. Its joy and its love did not come from this world, but it nourished and healed it. It appeared on the horizon and represented the arrival of the new cycles where life would have a greater meaning because the land would be fertile and so would the heart.
The white buffalo was the holy spirit of the earth which walked silent among humankind. It came to dissolve fear, anguish, sadness. It came to unite the hearts of the children of the earth with he who created the earth and all the other planets. He created the sun, the moon, and all life. The white buffalo was the bearer of purity and reunited the purity in the hearts of the children of the earth so that they would not lose the hope of a world in peace and in communion with life. The white buffalo was meek but invincible. Nothing could touch it and only the eyes of the heart could see it. Its mystery came from infinity, even though its appearance was of the earth. It made itself lesser than humankind with the living symbol of a simple animal, but it wanted to represent the all. Within it were both the small and the great, from the animals to the Supreme God. From nature to the all. The white buffalo thus made it possible to understand that God is in everything. I am the white buffalo, the spirit of the earth. The spirit of life.
I am the representation of the fertile cycles of the cycles of peace. In my presence despair and fear are dissolved, and hearts again find the faith and the love of God. I am, my children, the Mother of the earth, and also of heaven. The children of the earth were born on it, but they do not come from it. Their spirits come from me. They were born of the universal source of life, protected by the brightness of the stars that sparkle in infinity, embraced by the motherhood of God, Adoni. I come to this world so that you may regain purity and hope, so that you have fear and pain healed, and so that the certainty of being able to experience the sacred and unity on this earth with creation may again shine in your essences. I am here, beloved children, now resembling humankind with a body like yours and with a divine heart so that you may find again within yourselves what unites you with the creator, what makes you a mirror of his most sacred heart.
I came to mirror in your spirits the sacred and the divine. I appear on the horizon in silence, again bringing peace. I appear on this day of a new cycle representing a fruitful cycle in the life of this spirit. I want to strengthen your hearts and to build within you the new gardens of life. I want to cause the new human being to be born, recovering the purity and the divinity of the indigenous consciousness. I come to bring the grace of union with the origin for those called originating peoples and in this way all human hearts may rekindle within themselves the purity of the beginning, the original unity with the heart of God. May your lives be fruitful in love before the white buffalo…”(25:32 – 31:11 minute mark)
“I am the white buffalo, your mother and mother of all creation.”(31:39 minute mark)
If one takes the time to examine all of these alleged apparitions of the Virgin Mary, you will see how this being who claims to be Mary presents a message that appeals to each people group that she appears to. In the above alleged apparitions in which these messages are given to Friar Elias and Sister Lucia, she speaks to the Indigenous people who have embraced a pagan philosophy that is also very New Age in their belief system, which is why the message refers to her as the White Buffalo.
The Native Heart Healing Oracle – Blue Angel Publishing
Upon doing research to see what I could find concerning the White Buffalo and native spirituality, I came across the following video in which Chief Arvol speaks of a prophecy that said a white buffalo calf would stand upon the earth, and when this would happen many changes would take place upon the earth. Chief Arvol also speaks of “the Creator Wakan Tanka” and a woman who allegedly appeared carrying a buffalo robe. When this woman allegedly appeared before the people the next day she came with the buffalo robe. As she began to walk away she rolled over, and as she stood up she changed into a young black buffalo, then a red one, and then proceeded to turn into a yellow buffalo. Then, as she went over the hill she became a white buffalo calf.
I am not trying to say that the appearance of this particular woman was an alleged apparition of the Virgin Mary, and she never claimed to be the Virgin Mary. I am, however, trying to give you evidence of how these apparitions that claim to be the Virgin Mary (such as the entity that transmits messages to Sister Lucia de Jesus and Friar Elias) give messages that appeal to the spirituality that represents the people she is appearing to.
In this video you will also hear Chief Arvol use many terms that are also used by those in the New Age/New Spirituality Movement, as well as by those involved in the Environmental Movement: global warming, Mother Earth, spiritual unity, peace, harmony, etc.
Are you now beginning to see how many religions and all of these movements — especially the New Age/New Spirituality movement and the Environmental Movement — are all merging together?
Many involved in this movement speak of unity, oneness, and peace, but if one looks closely they will see this oneness is not the same as the oneness that Jesus Christ prayed for in John Chapter 17. For quite some time now we have been seeing many professing Christian pastors and teachers — including Rick Warren — promoting this type of unbiblical unity:
Christian author and speaker, Warren B Smith, was once deeply involved in the New Age Movement. Now he warns Christians just how dangerous this movement really is through the books that he writes and through the presentations that he gives at many Christian Conferences! When time allows, please consider listening to this insightful and very important presentation that he gave at the Last Days Bible Conference a few years ago.
The entity who claims to be the Virgin Mary in these alleged apparitions also refers to herself as the Lady of All Nations and says that she embraces everyone as her children — no matter what religion they are a part of. In some of the messages that were given during these apparitions by the one who calls herself The Lady of All Nations, to the visionary, Ida Peerdeman, “unity” among all Christians was emphasized, and many unbiblical and mystical words of instruction were also given. Here are some examples that you can hear in the video below. Be sure to test them in light of Scripture. These messages were given on September 20, 1951:
“Christians all over the world should unite.”
“Christians shall and must enter into themselves. Let them consider what part they are to play in this world.”
“It [the prayer] has been given so that the coming of the Spirit of Truth may be implored for the world. The lady says, “Child, why is this prayer not being spread abroad? What are they waiting for? I have taught it to you so that it might be circulated among the people. Let everyone say this short and simple prayer every day. This prayer is purposely kept short and simple so that every person may manage to say it even in this modern and speed crazy world. It has been given so that the coming of the Spirit of Truth may be implored for the world.”
No matter what anyone may say, there will be no peace in this world until Jesus Christ, the Prince of Peace, returns. To say that The Lady of All Nations is the “Key to World Peace” is completely unbiblical!
The last dogma that this entity who claims to be the Virgin Mary is demanding to be proclaimed, is for her to be declared the Lady of All Nations, as well as Co-Redemptrix, Mediatrix of all Graces, and Advocate. She claims that she “freely cooperated with Jesus in redeeming the world.” The blasphemous implications can be clearly seen in the picture below:
In part, this is what the entity, (who claims to be Mary), requested to be said as a prayer:
“Let the Lady of All Nations, who once was Mary, be our Advocate.”
According to God’s Word, who is our Advocate?
“My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.” (1 John 2:1)
According to God’s Word, we have only one Mediator:
“For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.” (1 Timothy 2:5)
According to God’s Word there is only one name under heaven by which we must be saved:
“Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men whereby we must be saved.” (Acts 4:12)
APPARITIONS OF MARY AND THE NEW AGE CONNECTION
In the following video, Cecil Andrews of ‘Take Heed Ministries,’ presents us with some excellent and even shocking information that shows the parallel between Catholic and New Age Marian Messages. When time allows, I truly hope that you will consider listening to this message that was given by Timothy Kauffman:
‘Catholic’ and ‘New Age’ Marian Messages in Agreement
For further information please consider reading the following by Cecil Andrews of Take Heed Ministries:
(Note: Sources with very good information; not an endorsement. It has come to the point where I can no longer endorse any ministry.)
In the video below is another supposed message given by the Virgin Mary and channeled through a woman named Julie Miller. Channeling is a New Age practice in which a spirit (and in this case it is said to be Mary, the mother of Jesus) speaks forth a message from beyond the grave. In this message you will hear terms such as: vibrations, energy, Mother earth,exhalein his light, pouring his love and light into every person of every creed and race, etc., demonstrating that this is not the Biblical Mary, but rather a spirit speaking forth a New Age message.
In many cases Mary is referred to as the Universal Mother or the Divine Mother, by those who promote the New Age agenda, once again, demonstrating that this entity is promoting unity among all people –Catholics and non-Catholics alike. The following message was channeled by a woman named Linda Dillon:
“…you are so much further ahead in this ascension process in this creation of nova Earth than you suspect “unity, connectedness, and balance and form in creation upon gaia in being a mother you are utilizing all of my blessings …..”
At gatherings, such as where messages offering love, unity, hope, and peace are allegedly being given from the Virgin Mary to visionaries, Friar Elias and Sister Lucia, which are then presented to unsuspecting people in an atmosphere where soothing music is being played, which breaks down the conscious mind so that it cannot properly think and reason, you will most certainly have people falling for a false Christ and an unbiblical Mary; a Mary who is presented as the Divine Mother, a title that many in the religions of Hinduism and Buddhism call their goddesses, as you will see from the quick captures below. Note also the use of New Age terminology that is used:
Giana Talone Sullivan is an example of a modern day visionary who claims to have received messages from the Virgin Mary mainly between the years of 1988 and 1995.
“The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Baltimore issued a statement saying they found no basis to support her messages as having an extraordinary source. The statement from the archdiocese condemns the alleged apparitions as not of a supernatural origin.” (1)
However, as you can see from the quick capture below, after French theologian, Fr. Rene’ Laurentin (“who was also an expert advisor for the Council during Vatican ll andan expert investigator of Marian apparitions and seers”) “brought a medical team of scientific specialists from France to America,” in part, the results of their investigation showed that she was found to be in the same state of ecstasies as other seers:
Scientific studies can be helpful to determine many things, but when it comes to the spiritual dimension everything — especially the messages — needs to be tested against God’s Word to see if it is true or not. (Acts 17:11)
“Prove all things; hold fast that which is good. Abstain from all appearances of evil.” (1 Thessalonians 5:21,22)
God’s Word also instructs us to test the spirits to see if they are from God.
“Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.” (1 John 4:1)
In the following video you will see how some people are literally crying out from the depths of their hearts for the trees that are being cut down. While none of these people profess to be Christians, this is simply a clear example to show you just how far many have drifted from what is Biblical, to now embracing a pagan world view, and how Environmentalism has become a form of spirituality and religion.
Why are these people not instead crying out for the lives of the unborn who are being torn apart limb by limb out of the safety of their mother’s womb, or who are having their brains sucked out during a partial birth abortion? We have become a barbaric society in which many place more emphasis on caring for this earth rather than caring for God’s greatest creation –mankind, who has been created in His own image and likeness. (Genesis 1:26,27)
CLOSING COMMENTS:
Please wake up! In this post I have presented you with just some of the many ways in which the plan for ecumenism and creating a One World Religion is taking shape right before our very eyes! You can also see, from the information that I have added to this post, how precious Catholics are being lured into the New Age Movement by these so-called apparitions of Mary!
Yes, as Christians we are to take care of the world that God has entrusted to us, but to put more emphasis on creation rather than on the Creator is unbiblical, and can cause one to shift from what is truly important in the eyes of God –human life made in His image and preaching the Biblical Gospel of faith in Jesus Christ alone for salvation. The eternal destination of billions of people is at stake!
“I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone one who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile. For in the gospel a righteousness from God is revealed, a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: “The righteous will live by faith.” The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness, since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities — his eternal power and divine nature — have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse.” (Romans 1:16-20)
Jesus Christ should be our focus, not the Virgin Mary. Many of the messages given to visionaries during all of these alleged apparitions clearly focus much more on Mary, rather than on Jesus Christ. In every form of deception there is always enough truth mixed in with lies so that the lies cannot easily be realized, which is why everything should always be tested against Scripture, and not against church teachings or the traditions of men, which is often the case when it comes to these apparitions and the Catholic church.
We can admire Mary for her willingness to submit to God and to become the mother of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, since most likely she was falsely accused of adultery by many and endured much ridicule, as well. Mary indeed deeply suffered as she watched her Son — Jesus Christ, the Son of God, God clothed in human flesh — suffer the horrendous torture of crucifixion, which led to His death. However, Jesus Christ alone redeemed us. Mary did not in any way suffer to the point of sharing in our redemption process or adding to Jesus Christ’s sufferings to attain our redemption –no matter what any one may say! To say anything more is to add to Scripture, which is forbidden by God. (Deuteronomy 4:2, Deuteronomy 12:32, Proverbs 30:6)
Mary is rarely even mentioned in Scripture! (Lord willing, one day I will do a post on every verse in which Mary is mentioned so that you can see just how little she is mentioned). God’s Word clearly emphasizes that it was only the sinless Son of God, Jesus Christ — the Lamb of God without spot or blemish — whose sinless life, sufferings on the cross, shed blood, and death was sufficient to satisfy God’s just demands by paying the debt for all of our sins –in full.
“Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.” (Acts 20:28)
“Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference: For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus. whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God.”(Romans 3:22,25)
“In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace.” (Ephesians 1:7)
“Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made is meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light: Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son: in whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins.” (Colossians 1:12-14)
“For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.” (1 Timothy 2:6)
“Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing og the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.” (Titus 2:14)
“Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us. For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh: how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? And for this cause he is the mediator of the new testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance.” “And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission.” (Hebrews 9:12-15,22)
“For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your ancestors, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect.” (1 Peter 1:18,19)
God will not allow any one else to share His glory.
“I am the LORD: that is my name: and my glory will I not give to another, neither my praise to graven images.” (Isaiah 42:8)
We must keep in mind what God clearly warns us about in His Word so that we will not be deceived:
“As Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately. “Tell us,” they said, “when will this happen, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?” Jesus answered: “Watch out that no one deceives you. For many will come in my name, claiming ‘I am the Christ,’ and will deceive many.” (Matthew 24:3-5)
“Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times men shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils.” (1 Timothy 4:1)
We must be Bereans and constantly test everything against Scripture, including the messages and teachings of every pastor and teacher –no matter how well respected they may be or how many years they may already have been in ministry! (1 Thessalonians 5:21,22, Acts 17:11)
In PART 3 we will be taking a close look at some end time scenarios that are being presented these days by a growing number of professing Christians that are causing many Christians to not only take their eyes off of the Lord, but alsoto tread on some spiritually dangerous territory! I will be tying all of that together with the alleged apparitions of the Virgin Mary, as well and sharing some rather controversial things with you in the process. The information that I will be sharing with you is extremely important for you to be aware of since it’s very possible that these things may very well become part of the strong delusion and spiritual deception that we are warned about quite frequently in Scripture concerning what will take place before the return of Jesus Christ to this earth.
I hope that you will join me for PART 3 in this series that I will try to have completed in the early part of May, possibly sooner –Lord willing. Because there is so much information that needs to be presented to you this may end up being a four part series instead of three, as I had originally planned.
NOTE: October 15, 2021 TO READ PART 3, the final installment in this series, Click >HERE<
Thank you very much for stopping by and taking time out of your busy day to read this very lengthy post.
God Bless You
~Mary/Living4HisGlory
RELATED VIDEOS
Regardless of the fact that many alleged apparitions of the Virgin Mary present messages that are saturated with Catholic doctrine, the evidence that these apparitions are capturing the attention of hundreds of people from different religions can clearly be seen. Here are some examples:
NOTE: This post was updated on February 28, 2021 in preparation for writing PART 3 in this series, ‘APPARITIONS OF THE VIRGIN MARY OR DEMONS IN DISGUISE – EXAMINING THE EVIDENCE IN LIGHT OF SCRIPTURE.’
Today I would like to introduce you to a dear Sister-in-Christ that I have had the pleasure of getting to know over the past few months or so. Her name is Barbara Wilhelm and she writes forHOLDING HIS WORD HIGHER
She just completed her in depth report on the extremely popular devotional, JESUS CALLING, that was written by Sarah Young and has sadly captivated the hearts and minds of millions. You may even be one of them. If not, then you may know of someone who has begun to set aside God’s Word, the Bible, and instead now yearns for a fresh new word from Sarah Young’s Jesus, which is not the Jesus Christ of the Bible, as you will soon see. If you know of someone who is deeply mesmerized by these devotionals, please consider sharing this very important report with them and pray that they come to realize just how unbiblical these messages really are, as well as the practice by which Sarah Young receives these messages.
And now, here is PART 1 of Barbara Wilhelm’s special report concerning Sarah Young’s devotional, Jesus Calling:
To read Part 2 and 3 of Barbara’s in depth report, entitled,‘ANOTHER GOD,’ and ‘ANOTHER JESUS,’ and to watch for her final post in this series, please go to HERESCOPE where you will also find many other excellent in depth articles written by Sarah Leslie, Gaylene Goodroad, the late Pastor Larry DeBruyn, who earnestly contended for the faith until the very end of his life, Martin Erdmann, and others. Or, if you’d prefer, you can simply click on the links below. I will add the link to PART 4 for you as soon as it is officially posted on HERESCOPE, which should be within the next few days, according to Barbara.
Herescope is an online journal revealing heresies and false teachings that are affecting the church today. You will be blessed and greatly informed by what you will read there, and you will also come to realize even more, the importance of reading God’s Word and ‘examining the Scriptures daily to see if what is being said (and done by those who claim to speak for God) is true.’ (Acts 17:11)
Thank you very much for stopping by and taking time to read this well written and researched report on Jesus Calling that was done by my dear Sister-in-Christ, Barbara Wilhelm.
“Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils.” (1 Timothy 4:1)
“Then the LORD said unto me, The prophets prophesy lies in my name: I sent them not, neither have I commanded them, neither spake unto them: they prophesy unto you a false vision and divination, and a thing of nought, and the deceit of their heart.” (Jeremiah 14:14)
“Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world. ” (1 John 4:1)
“But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.” (2 Corinthians 11:3,4)
“I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel: Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ. 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. As we said before, so say I now again, if any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.” (Galatians 1:6-9)
RELATED VIDEOS
UPDATE:
Lord willing, I should be done with Part 2 in my series, ‘APPARITIONS OF THE VIRGIN MARY, OR DEMONS IN DISGUISE – EXAMINING THE EVIDENCE IN LIGHT OF SCRIPTURE’ by Sunday evening.
“How can you tell if your church has adopted the Leadership Network paradigm?”
The above question that a listener sent in to Mike LeMay and Amy Spreeman on Stand Up For The Truth a few years ago is a question that writer and speaker, Sarah Leslie, of Discernment Research Group and Herescope addressed near the end of their time together for this show. The main topic discussed is the shift that is taking place in many churches these days, maybe even in yours. It is a shift from Jesus Christ and Biblical truth, which is the foundation for the church, to an experiential based system where the pastor runs the church like a corporation and presents his own agenda to the people of the church. Sadly, for those who do not stand with the pastor and his new vision for the church, they will either be pressured to conform, or they will be shoved under the bus as Mark Driscoll has said in the past to his congregation before the dismantling of his church finally took place due mainly because of his abusive behavior towards those in leadership positions at Mars Hill Church and those who also attended Mars Hill Church. When time allows, consider watching the above video, and keep these Scriptures in mind as you watch the video below:
“Here is a trustworthy saying: Whoever aspires to be an overseer desires a noble task. Now the overseer is to be above reproach, faithful to his wife, temperate, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, not given to drunkenness, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money.” (1 Timothy 3:1-3)
“And the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful.Opponents must be gently instructed, in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth, and that they will come to their senses and escape from the trap of the devil, who has taken them captive to do his will.” (2 Timothy 2:24,25)
“Since an overseer manages God’s household, he must be blameless—not overbearing, not quick-tempered, not given to drunkenness, not violent, not pursuing dishonest gain. Rather, he must be hospitable, one who loves what is good, who is self-controlled, upright, holy and disciplined. He must hold firmly to the trustworthy message as it has been taught, so that he can encourage others by sound doctrine and refute those who oppose it.” (Titus 1:7-9)
“To the elders among you, I appeal as a fellow elder and a witness of Christ’s sufferings who also will share in the glory to be revealed: Be shepherds of God’s flock that is under your care, watching over them—not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be; not pursuing dishonest gain, but eager to serve;not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock.And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that will never fade away.” (1 Peter 5:1-4)
Thank you very much for stopping by and taking time out of your busy day to read some of my posts and poems.
God Bless You
~Mary/Living4HisGlory
UPDATE: Still working on a few posts when time allows me to do so, and, Lord willing, I hope to have at least one finished by tomorrow evening so that I can share it with you. Otherwise, it should be done within the next few days.
Desiring for God to use all that I have been through in life, I decided to start my first blog, living4hisglory.wordpress.com, in order to write poems about some of those experiences to bring glory to God, as well as to share them with others with the hope of encouraging those of you who have been broken and shattered by life's circumstances and hurt by those who were supposed to have loved you rather than abuse you in some way.
Also, because of some pastors and teachers today who seem to be abandoning Biblical Christianity and instead seem to be either seeking to build their own empires and promoting their own agendas, and at times even leading the people in their churches into unbiblical, 'mystical practices' without some people even realizing it, I saw the importance and necessity to begin writing poems and posts in order to inform Christians, as well as to make Christians realize the extreme importance of testing what people say (who claim to speak for God) against the truth of God's Word, (Acts 17:11) so that they will not be deceived. It has never been -- nor shall it ever be -- my intention to bash any particular pastor or teacher; my sole purpose in bringing attention to false teachings is to make Christians realize that we are to be followers of Jesus Christ, and not to be followers of any man (or woman) and his (or her) ministry. I hope that you will be blessed -- as well as challenged -- by the things that I write.
NOTE: COMMENTS ON ALL POSTS CLOSE ONE MONTH AFTER THEY ARE PUBLISHED.
Thank you for stopping by and taking time to read some of my posts and poems.
God Bless You
~Mary - Living4HisGlory
Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog's author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Mary K. Dalke and Living4HisGlory Blog with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.
NOTE: Any adds that may be displayed on my blog have not been chosen or approved by me; I can't even see any adds that WordPress chooses to post here.
Desiring for God to use all that I have been through in life, I decided to start my first blog, living4hisglory.wordpress.com, in order to write poems about some of those experiences to bring glory to God, as well as to share them with others with the hope of encouraging those of you who have been broken and shattered by life's circumstances and hurt by those who were supposed to have loved you rather than abuse you in some way.
Also, because of some pastors and teachers today who seem to be abandoning Biblical Christianity and instead seem to be either seeking to build their own empires and promoting their own agendas, and at times even leading the people in their churches into unbiblical, 'mystical practices' without some people even realizing it, I saw the importance and necessity to begin writing poems and posts in order to inform Christians, as well as to make Christians realize the extreme importance of testing what people say (who claim to speak for God) against the truth of God's Word, (Acts 17:11) so that they will not be deceived. It has never been -- nor shall it ever be -- my intention to bash any particular pastor or teacher; my sole purpose in bringing attention to false teachings is to make Christians realize that we are to be followers of Jesus Christ, and not to be followers of any man (or woman) and his (or her) ministry. I hope that you will be blessed -- as well as challenged -- by the things that I write.
NOTE: COMMENTS ON ALL POSTS CLOSE ONE MONTH AFTER THEY ARE PUBLISHED.
Thank you for stopping by and taking time to read some of my posts and poems.
God Bless You
~Mary - Living4HisGlory
Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog's author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Mary K. Dalke and Living4HisGlory Blog with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.
NOTE: Any adds that may be displayed on my blog have not been chosen or approved by me; I can't even see any adds that WordPress chooses to post here.
Mary Dalke - Living4HisGlory
Living4HisGlory 