In PART IX we looked at how the Mary of the many apparitions is becoming a unifying force that is breaking down religious barriers. In today’s installment we’ll spend some time analyzing the whole Marian apparitions phenomenon.
PART X – THE PROOF IS IN THE MESSAGE
The testimony of countless witnesses numbering in the millions is quite impressive. But what is it that they are seeing? Let us test the spirits to see. There is that Medjugore message. All are equal before the Son. All are her children. Another message given by the apparition at Medjugore, – which according to the official website is but an extension of the apparitions at Fatima, – proclaimed that “all religions are good before God.” She also said; “division by the religions is caused by man, not God.”[i] The late Pope John Paul II totally committed himself to fulfilling the unity called for by the visions of Our Lady of Fatima. The Pope in fact dedicated his life completely to Mary, (interestingly not to Jesus). John Paul was driven by that call for ecumenism demanded by the Marian apparitions. In Manila in 1981 he spoke of the Holy Spirit working in the lives of those outside of the Christian Faith. After the World Day of Prayer for Peace held in Assisi in 1986, John Paul confirmed the “universal presence of the Holy Spirit” claiming that the Holy Spirit is “mysteriously present in the heart of every person, Christian or otherwise.”[ii] And that of course, would be a mystery because that is decidedly NOT what either the Bible or Jesus teaches. Romans 8:14 draws the qualification for the receipt of the Holy Spirit. “For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.” John’s Gospel makes the case even more plainly. The right to become God’s children and therefore, bearers of the Holy Spirit, is reserve to those who receive Him. “children of God,” who are led by the “Spirit of God.” Romans 8:15-16 confirms this when it tells us that we receive the “Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, ‘Abba, Father.’ The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God.”
It was at Assisi that the Pope, the claimed head of all of Christendom prayed with members of 120 various religions, – each praying to their god or gods. Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jews, and the Dalai Lama – who calls himself a god, were all there. They were joined by Christian leaders from dozens of denominations as well as “fire worshiping Zoroastrians,” African animists worshiping spirits and nature, American Indians and Japanese Shinto.[iii] It was a great display of ecumenical tolerance. There was just one problem: To whom were they all praying. The whole notion, – just as the notion of ‘Mary’s’ calls for unity outside of Christ; – are terribly unbiblical. Scripture is clear on this. God’s people are to be called out from the world. Paul so aptly asked the Corinthians, “For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness? And what accord has Christ with Belial? Or what part has a believer with an unbeliever? And what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For you are the temple of the living God.” (2Corinthians 6:14-16)
Despite “Mary’s” claims at Medjugore, the Bible tells us that the right to become children of God is reserved for those that believe in His Son. “But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name” (John 1:12) Jesus expanded on this while talking to the Pharisees later in His ministry. “Jesus said to them, ‘If God were your Father, you would love Me, for I proceeded forth and came from God; nor have I come of Myself, but He sent Me’”. (John 8:42) Then Jesus drew a clear line of distinction between those that accept Him and those that do not. “You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do”. (John 8:44) The message that ‘All ways to God are the same’, – may be a message of the New Age and of the Marian apparitions, – but it was never a message of Jesus. As Christ told Nicodemus: “He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God”. This message of ‘Mary’ does not stand the test of the Bible.
All of these supposed Marian apparitions have created a problem even in some Catholic circles that recognize the variance that some messages have with Biblical revelation. One Catholic writer warns that “private apparitions can detract from our path to knowing God, by placing too much emphasis on someone other than Christ.”[iv] The fact is, there is not a single instance of a Marian apparition to be found in the Bible. I make this point again: Even the Catholic Encyclopedia admits that this “cultus of Mary” was not present in the early Church. The Mary that has been put forward by Rome is not the Mary of the Bible.
In fact, much Catholic teaching about Mary is not only – not in the Bible; – but it contradicts what the Bible does say. Rome teaches the Immaculate Conception, yet Romans 3:23 tells us “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God”. Though the Vatican calls her Co-Redemptrix, Luke 1:47 records that Mary confessed her own need of salvation, saying “my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior”. Yet Catholic teaching has evolved over the centuries, making Mary a near equal figure with God Himself. As the Bible tells us Jesus was sinless, so Rome tells us Mary was too. As 1Timothy 2:5 states there is “one mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus”, Catholics teach that she is a mediatrix. Scripture teaches Jesus ascended and Rome adds that Mary was ‘Assumed’. We know Christ is the King; they claim Mary is the Queen.[v]
The Mary of the Bible is a humble faithful woman, always interested in glorifying her Lord. The Mary of the apparitions often seeks her own glory, demanding the building of shrines and prayers directed to her. Yet in John 16:26-28, Jesus tells us that we have direct access to the Father Himself. The Mary of the apparitions and even the miracles of the apparitions are of a different order than those Christ performed. Christ offered no showy ‘sun dances’ to validate his messages; – but pointedly refused to give in to the Pharisees demands for such demonstrations (see Matthew 12:38-39)[vi]
While the real Mary, mother of the Messiah is a woman to be respected and honored and imitated, – I respectfully suggest here that the Mary of the apparitions may indeed be a manifestation of the demonic. Her message may indeed be leading people away from the truth of the Gospel and the sufficiency of God’s work on the Cross. We are warned that “Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light”. (2Corinthians 11:14) “The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders” (2Thessalonians 2:9) “to deceive, if possible even the elect”. (Mark 13:22) But what has been seen by the witnesses to these so-called Marian apparitions? Only power, signs, wonders and a dancing sun et al.
[i] Kenneth R Samples, A Protestant Look at a Catholic Phenomenon: Part Two, Christian Research Journal, Spring 1991
[ii] Donald Ward, Religious Deception in the Post Modern World, World News & Prophecy
[iii] Rocky Mountain News, Denver, Colorado, October 28, 1986, as reported by Way of Life Ministries, 2001
[iv] Jennifer Dierker, Marian Apparitions: Truth or Trouble?
[v] Donald Ward, Religious Deception in the Post Modern World, World News & Prophecy, July 22, 2010
[vi] Donald Ward, Religious Deception in the Post Modern World, World News & Prophecy, July 22, 2010
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