Article

Mary's Immaculate Conception, and her role in salvation history

July 16, 2024

Many people, even Catholics, wrongly believe the Immaculate Conception to be the event by which Mary came to be pregnant because the Holy Spirit came upon her and Jesus was conceived – so that God was Jesus’ Father and not a man. That event is the Virgin birth. In fact the Immaculate Conception is not when Jesus was conceived, but when Mary was conceived.


She had normal parents – a man and a woman – but although every man and woman is born with Original Sin, because of a special grace relating to the merits of her future child Jesus, Mary was born without experiencing Original Sin – she was born untainted by sin and the devil has no power over her.


This Conception of Mary without sin is a unique grace for a human conceived since the Fall and is because otherwise, ‘sin’ or a person tarnished by sin, would have ‘carried and given flesh to’ Jesus/ God Incarnate in the womb, which could not be. And therefore, because of Jesus’ power, not hers, his mother Mary was uniquely created without Original Sin – as Adam and Eve had been.


Biblical References to Mary’s Immaculate Conception


References to Mary in the New Testament are not numerous, although there are many references in the Old Testament which are recognised to be ‘types’ of Mary, in the way that the Old Testament so often prefigures its more perfect completion in the New Testament. Examples include: Moses the deliverer and Jesus the Redeemer; Abraham willing to sacrifice Isaac and the Father allowing the sacrifice of Jesus; Circumcision as covenant sign and baptism as covenant sign; ritual animal sacrifice for sin and Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross. Such ‘typology’ is well recognised throughout the Bible and the New Testament version of the ‘type’ is always a more perfect event than the Old Testament representation, which foreshadowed it.


Colossians 2:17 'These are only a shadow of what is to come, but the substance belongs to Christ.'


1. The New Ark of the Covenant


A type in the Old Testament which applies readily to Mary is that of the Ark of the Covenant - a beautiful container, designed according to God’s Word and which was used to carry the Word of God within itself. Mary is the new Ark of the Covenant – determined by Jesus, the Word of God, and who carried within herself the second person of the Trinity, the Word of God made flesh. God’s presence accompanied the Ark everywhere and as her ‘Spouse’ the Holy Spirit of God will continue to accompany Mary everywhere.


There are striking parallels when we consider Old Testament references to the Ark and New Testament references to Mary:


Perhaps most important to notice, is that God wanted the Old Testament Ark to be “perfect in every detail”, made of the finest materials available – and off limits to everyone. God was so protective of the Ark that nobody was allowed to touch it, since it was of such great importance.


2 Samuel 6:6,7 'And when they came to the threshing-floor of Nacon, Uzzah put forth his hand to the ark of God, and took hold of it; for the oxen stumbled. And the anger of Jehovah was kindled against Uzzah; and God smote him there for his error; and there he died by the ark of God.'


We may imagine Mary to be even more precious to God, since she is not a box but created in His image and likeness, yet necessarily ‘perfect in every way’ even amongst human kind. The Ark was kept in the most holy place, the holy of holies and was ‘sanctified by His glory’.
'
Each of us are also a potential Ark carrying God’s presence, since we are a temple of the Holy Spirit as Christians, but how much more will Mary be the ‘perfect in every way’ Temple of the Holy Spirit – her Spouse – the new Ark of the Covenant


1 Corinthians 3:16,17 'Do you not know that you are God's temple and that God's Spirit dwells in holy, and you are that temple.'


2. Creation


The perfectly created Universe is another of such ‘types’ which relate to Mary.


Genesis 1:2 'the earth was a formless void and darkness covered the face of the deep, while a wind from God swept over the face of the waters.'


It was from the perfectly formed ‘matter’ of the Earth that God formed the mortal body of Adam and He added His ‘breath of life’.


Genesis 2:7 ' then the LORD God formed man from the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and the man became a living being.'


Obviously Mary conceived without sin compares with this perfectly created matter used to form a human body for her son Jesus


Romans 5:14 'Yet death exercised dominion from Adam to Moses, even over those whose sins were not like the transgression of Adam, who is a type of the one who was to come.'


1 Corinthians 15:22 ' for as all die in Adam, so all will be made alive in Christ.'


Jesus is the second Adam, who undid our separation from God caused by the Fall, His humanity was formed from the body of this immaculate mother Mary.


Luke 1:28 'And the angel being come in, said unto her: Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women.'


3. The Second Eve


There is another type which Mary is recognised with, in Eve. We know from Genesis 2 that Adam and Eve were created by God in a state of perfection. Eve was created completely free of sin – immaculate in every way.


Genesis 1:27, 31 'And God created man to his own image: to the image of God he created him: male and female he created them. … And God saw all the things that he had made, and they were very good. And the evening and morning were the sixth day.'


Mary is often seen as the second Eve, since because her Son was to be God Incarnate, she too was created without Original Sin like Eve though she remained sinless.


Since Mary is considered to be the Woman in Genesis 3:15, it is because of the sinlessness of Mary that there is such enmity between her and Satan, because he knows that God promised that she is to crush his head.


Genesis 3:15 ' I will put enmities between thee and the woman, and thy seed and her seed: she shall crush thy head, and thou shalt lie in wait for her heel.' (DRB)


Many consider that Eve is the woman referred too in Genesis 3:15, but it could not be her since Eve was not an enemy of Satan but his accomplice in sin. Mary on the other hand would be instrumental in God putting right what Eve had destroyed.


The children of Eve would be every person born on Earth, whereas the children of Mary, would be the Mystical Body of Christ who keep the commandments and testimony of Jesus, Revelation 12:17.


Act 22: 7,8 'I fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to me, "Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?" I answered, "Who are you, Lord?" Then he said to me, "I am Jesus of Nazareth whom you are persecuting."'


Revelation 12:17 'Then the dragon was angry with the woman, and went off to make war on the rest of her children, those who keep the commandments of God and hold the testimony of Jesus.'


Mary’s children are all those who keep the commandments of her Son (Revelation 12:17), since she was also given to the Church to be its mother at the Cross by Jesus.


John 19:27 'Then he said to the disciple, 'Here is your mother.' And from that hour the disciple took her into his own home. '
 
4. She Will Crush Your Head – Genesis 3:15


Mary is truly the Woman who crushes the Serpent’s Head – see the appendix. Certainly Jesus won the victory against sin and undid the works of the Devil, but it suits God that mankind, which has suffered the cruel fury of Satan, be the final cause of Satan’s demise. However different bible versions differ in their translation - please see the appendix. for more detail.


5. Hail Full of Grace


Luke 1:28 “Hail full of grace, the Lord is with you.” (DRB)


The salutation of the angel Gabriel indicates a unique abundance of grace, a supernatural state of soul, which finds its explanation in the Immaculate Conception of Mary. The term ‘full of grace’, while not explicitly proving the doctrine, does imply her Immaculate Conception and freedom from sin.


The Protestant Scholar Max Thurian observed that the similarity between the prophecy of Zephaniah (3:14) and the angel's announcement to Mary, turns the past participle passage, 'filled with grace,' into a" kind of title”:


'Hail thou . . . daughter
Hail thou, full of grace!’


Mary, the daughter of Zion, receives from the angel a new kind of name which characterizes both her vocation and her purpose.


Mary is the one 'Filled-with-grace,' and she may well rejoice at the joy proclaimed by the prophets to her who should become the Mother of the Messiah, that Daughter of Zion, the symbol of the people who wait for their God, which the Virgin has become by pure grace.


6. Other References to Mary


There are several other Old Testament references which are taken to refer to Mary, such as: from the texts Proverbs 8 and Ecclesiasticus 24 – which exalt the Wisdom of God and which in the Catholic liturgy are applied to Mary, the most beautiful work of God’s Wisdom. Also in the Song of Songs, the love song in which God is taken to be the Bridegroom and the Bride may be Mary, the Church or the individual believer “4:7 Thou art fair, O my love, and there is not a spot in thee”.


A Sign of the Times - God is Raising Up Mary for the End Times Battle of Her Children with Satan.


Because of her sinlessness and special protection from God, Mary is Satan’s main enemy – she who God promised will crush his head. To ask Mary to pray to God for us and also use the power God has given her in these times, is entirely in keeping with God’s Plan and appropriate for us as her children. Mary as the mother of the Church and the New Ark of the Covenant is a champion for us against Satan, empowered by God.


Revelation 12:17 'Then the dragon was angry with the woman, and went off to make war on the rest of her children, those who keep the commandments of God and hold the testimony of Jesus.'


To become the mother of the Saviour then, Mary was enriched by God with gifts appropriate to such a role, including her ‘Immaculate Conception’. Although officially defined as a dogma of the Catholic Church in 1854, this understanding had long been held throughout history, but after Heaven’s miraculous intervention (see below), it was formerly defined by the Pope as one of only two occasions in history when the Pope has made an infallible statement (ex cathedra).


Heaven gave a Sign


The heavenly intervention was a vision of the Blessed Virgin Mary to Sr. Catherine Laboure, a holy nun – in a chapel at the Rue de Bac in Paris in 1830 when during several apparitions the Blessed Mother outlined the design of a medal which was to be made.


The image on the medal was of Our Lady standing on a globe with her foot crushing the head of a serpent (cf. the Woman of Genesis 3:15) and there were rays of light coming from gems on her fingers. An inscription around the image read: “O Mary conceived without sin pray for us who have recourse to thee.” On the reverse were images representing Mary (the ‘M’ beneath the Cross and the two hearts of Jesus and Mary – one run through with a sword Luke.2:35) surrounded by twelve stars – cf. the Woman of Revelation.   


The medal then confirms Mary as ‘the Woman’ in both Genesis 3:15 and Revelation 12. In the years following, this medal (original called the medal of the Immaculate Conception) came to be called the ‘Miraculous Medal’, because of the repeated miraculous way that God answered the prayers of those millions who honoured this medal. 10 Million medals were sold in the first five years alone. 


St. Catherine Laboure’s body remains incorrupt to this day. The incorrupt body of Saint Catherine Laboure in Paris – She died in 1876


In response to such signs from Heaven, and also the longstanding awareness and theological debate within the Church of Mary’s Immaculate Conception without Original Sin, the Pope made this an official dogma of the Church in 1854.


And Yet Another Heavenly Sign…!


Heaven confirmed this action by the Pope 4 years later, when in 1858, there was also a series of miraculous apparitions of the Blessed Mother at Lourdes, France to a young girl: Bernadette Soubirous, during which the Lady of the apparition, to answer a question asked on behalf of the parish priest to identify herself, answered; “I am the Immaculate Conception.” Lourdes became a centre of miraculous healing and pilgrimage. St. Bernadette became a nun and her body remains incorrupt at her convent to this day.


 Saint Bernadette Soubirous’s incorrupt body at Nevers – she died in 1879 


Such supernatural signs are taken to be a confirmation by Heaven of that person’s holiness and also their message. Such evidence may often be considered when formally declaring someone a Saint of the Church – See: http://www.marypages.com/IncorruptBodies.htm


The Role of Mary in God’s Plan:


God arranged a test for our first parents and we know that Satan was allowed to tempt them – and the Fall occurred.


As a result of the failure of this test, Adam and Eve lost the gift of sanctifying grace living within them, by which they shared in the life of God, and experienced suffering and death. They were cast out from Paradise and because the sin of Adam represented a test for the whole of mankind, the effects of the Fall have affected the rest of mankind.


God knew through eternity that mankind would fail the test in the garden, and by allowing it as He did, He ensured that Satan would be the scapegoat for the Fall of man, because he had tempted Adam and Eve, therefore allowing mankind to achieve forgiveness and redemption.


And so God already had in place a plan for our redemption and eternal happiness with Him in Heaven. He would come Himself in the person of Jesus, who would become a man, being born of a Virgin who would be his mother. Mary alone amongst mankind (because of the merits of the son she was to carry), was preserved immune from original sin.


This means that Satan has never had any power over Mary and it seems to be a matter of God’s Justice that after centuries of Satan persecuting mankind with suffering and sorrow, that it should be mankind – in the person of Mary, who Revelation clearly speaks of as being at enmity with Satan the Red Dragon, who will be the cause of his defeat – using power given to her by God.


As much as David could be a champion for the Israelites and Goliath a champion for the Philistines, Mary is a champion for mankind in the final battle against Satan. Indeed the Dragon goes to make war on the rest of the Church precisely because they are her children. Both Genesis and Revelation really describe a great enmity between these two, Satan and Mary – who is Satan’s mighty foe.


Revelation 12:17 ' Then the dragon was angry with the woman, and went off to make war on the rest of her children, those who keep the commandments of God and hold the testimony of Jesus.'


This takes nothing away from Jesus who conquered Satan on the Cross and who has already won the victory for us – but we still need to apply that victory and to defeat Satan by the blood of the lamb, the word of our testimony and our submission and humility before the kingship of God (did not cling to life):


Revelation 12:11 'But they have conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, for they did not cling to life even in the face of death.'


Let us note what the Pope Pius IX said about Mary’s role against Satan in Scripture:

This doctrine was defined as a dogma of the faith by Pope Pius IX in the Apostolic Constitution “Ineffabilis Deus” in 1854:


Pope Pius IX “Ineffabilis Deus”

“We declare, pronounce, and define that the doctrine which holds that the most Blessed Virgin Mary, in the first moment of her conception, by a singular grace and privilege granted by almighty God, in view of the merits of Jesus Christ, the Saviour of the human race, was preserved free from all stain of original sin, is a doctrine revealed by God and therefore to be believed firmly and constantly by all the faithful."

This doctrine is implicitly revealed in the Book of Genesis where there is implied the promise of a Redeemer for fallen mankind, a member of the human race born of a woman. Prophecies of the Old Testament make it clear that this Redeemer would be God Himself (Isaiah 35:4), and that He would be born of a virgin. (Isaiah 7:14) Shortly after the fall of our first parents, having been deceived by the devil, God said to the Evil One:


"I will put enmity between you and the woman,
between your seed and hers;
She will crush your head while you strike at her heel."
(Genesis 3:15)


After referring to the above from Genesis, the Holy Father elaborated on this text as follows:

Pope Pius IX “Ineffabilis Deus”

"The Fathers and writers of the Church, well versed in the heavenly scriptures . . . These ecclesiastical writers in quoting the words by which at the beginning of the world God announced his merciful remedies prepared for the regeneration of mankind -- words by which he crushed the audacity of the deceitful serpent and wondrously raised up the hope of our race, saying, "I will put enmities between you and the woman, between your seed and her seed" taught that by this divine prophecy the merciful Redeemer of mankind, Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of God, was clearly foretold; that His most Blessed Mother, the Virgin Mary, was prophetically indicated; and, at the same time, the very enmity of Both against the evil one was significantly expressed. Hence, just as Christ, the Mediator between God and man, assumed human nature, erased the handwriting of the decree that stood against us, and fastened it triumphantly to the Cross, so the most holy Virgin, united with Him in a most intimate and indissoluble bond, was, with Him and through Him, eternally at enmity with the evil serpent, and most completely triumphed over him, and thus crushed his head with her immaculate foot.”

Pope Pius IX also contrasts Eve and Mary as follows:

Pope Pius IX “Ineffabilis Deus”

"Eve listened to the serpent with lamentable consequences; she fell from original innocence and became his slave. The most blessed Virgin, on the contrary, ever increased her original gift, and not only never lent an ear to the serpent, but by divinely given power, utterly destroyed the force and dominion of the evil one.


Please read the appendix for more details

Respect not Conversion


It is not our intention to convert Protestants to believe or agree with Catholic teaching, but to demonstrate and reassure any Protestant reader of the intellectual integrity of the Catholic Church’s interpretation of Holy Scripture, and particularly on these pages, the Catholic understanding of the role of the Virgin Mary – “the handmaid of the Lord “ in God’s plans for mankind.


We hope that to demonstrate that each of the respective Catholic beliefs about the Virgin Mary is rooted in the Bible and Christ-centred is a valid biblical interpretation for the Catholic Church to make, which our Protestant brothers and sisters should be able to respect

share this

Related Articles

Related Articles

Introduction to the Flame of Love

By Webmaster • July 19, 2024
The Flame of Love 'Unity Prayer' has been so well received across the world. Many of our prayer partners are reciting the prayer daily. And so we have decided to make the prayer a part of the Mary's Heel network. You can read more about the devotion and the prayer here. Our founder Tony Fodor, from Wales was interviewed on aspects of the devotion. The video can be seen here:

The Real Enemy

By Webmaster • July 17, 2024
Satan’s Secret Strategies against Catholic and Protestant Christians. Division and hatred In the Bible, Satan is called the Accuser of the Brethren, so it is he who has cultivated the Christians to accuse and attack each other so viciously, instead of love. Division and unforgiveness are Satan’s hallmark. Revelation 12:10 'And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, ‘Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night. ‘ The division and hatred between Christians over centuries, has been a major embarrassment for the Church and served to discredit God in the eyes of many onlookers. This contempt has softened in recent years and the Holy Spirit is causing more curiosity and respect between denominations in His Church during these times. The opposite of division and hatred is love and appreciation. The Counterfeit Grace message “We are talking about an amazing, major end-time move of the devil … one of the major heresies in the church … spreading throughout Christian radio, TV, books and conferences … it is called ‘The Counterfeit Grace message’… and I want you warned so it doesn’t touch you and your loved ones!” Sid Roth – Cristian TV presenter of ‘It’s Supernatural’ programme. There is an increasingly recognise error which, according to a life-changing prophetic vision given to evangelical Pastor Tony Kemp is presently sweeping many Christians to Hell. http://tonykempministries.net Pastor Tony Kemp is known internationally for his Scripture based teaching condemning a ‘Counterfeit Grace’ message, which is being both actively taught and passively assumed by Christians, both Catholic and Protestant at this time. Essentially this ‘Counterfeit grace’ message is believing that God is so loving and forgiving that you can stay in your sinful habits because He will understand - that a loving, kind and good God would never condemn a person to the lake of fire. This is unscriptural. For Catholics, since the Second Vatican Council, there has been a swing away from being petrified of a stern God who is hyper-aware of your sins and demands fasting and penance or you’re in big trouble. This is good because our loving God desires us to love Him in return and not fear Him. However, it is possible to over-swing in the other direction and presume that God is like a foolish parent who will not discipline us, nor is He capable of sending us to Hell. Yes God is forgiving of everything and all understanding of our weaknesses – but the condition for forgiveness is repentance and asking for forgiveness. To sin without repentance is to play with damnation. In the Protestant camp, the Calvinist teaching of perpetual salvation: that once a person is saved, he cannot lose his salvation no matter what sins he may subsequently commit, has been steadily losing support over past decades amongst Protestants, with even Calvinists being rather embarrassed by it, realising that a Christian can indeed go to Hell, as the Bible points out; Romans 11:22 'Note then the kindness and the severity of God: severity towards those who have fallen, but God's kindness towards you, provided you continue in his kindness; otherwise you also will be cut off'. Matthew 7:21-23 'Not everyone who says to me, "Lord, Lord", will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only one who does the will of my Father in heaven. On that day many will say to me, "Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many deeds of power in your name?" Then I will declare to them, "I never knew you; go away from me, you evildoers." Similarly, according to Pastor Tony Kemp, the loss of awareness of the importance of sin seems to have caused many Protestants (and Catholics) not to feel a need to repent of their sins at all. Again, this is contradicted by Scripture: 1 John 2:3-6 Now by this we may be sure that we know him, if we obey his commandments. Whoever says, 'I have come to know him', but does not obey his commandments, is a liar, and in such a person the truth does not exist; but whoever obeys his word, truly in this person the love of God has reached perfection. By this we may be sure that we are in him: whoever says, 'I abide in him', ought to walk just as he walked. Much is sometimes made amongst advocates of this Counterfeit Grace message, by referring to the partial Scripture of there being ‘no condemnation for anyone in Christ Jesus’. However, the rest of the Scripture is telling: Romans 8:1-6 There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death. For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do: by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and to deal with sin, he condemned sin in the flesh, so that the just requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. To set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace'. Therefore, for anyone to live in a state of unrepented sin like e.g. pornography, envy, greed, anger or gossip, etc. is to set our minds on things of the flesh and to experience a death. Despite Catholics’ greater awareness of sin, taught to them as children and the need for repentance in order to fully receive Grace, similarly too the Catholic Church is losing a sense of sin, and has seen a massive reduction in attendance at the sacrament of Confession (also called ‘Reconciliation’). It is also clear that the vast majority of Catholics attending mass, routinely receive Holy Communion – when, because the confessionals are virtually empty, they may not be in a state of grace (as Catholic teaching calls it). Again, this is a Counterfeit Grace message, causing a dulling of the awareness of personal sin, and repentance is so often overlooked. Interestingly, according to the Bible, many Catholics may be experiencing sickness or worse, as a result of still receiving Communion when in a state of sin: 1 Corinthians 11:27-30 ' Whoever, therefore, eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be answerable for the body and blood of the Lord. Examine yourselves, and only then eat of the bread and drink of the cup. For all who eat and drink without discerning the body, eat and drink judgement against themselves. For this reason many of you are weak and ill, and some have died.' Protestants have little apparent understanding of the theology of Grace, and so they have been more easily misled into a message of ‘Counterfeit Grace’, as Tony Kemp has highlighted. But for Catholics, who are well versed in the ‘law of Grace’ : whereby God cannot abide with sin and so we must repent if we are in any grave sin – or we will live without God abiding in us, and to die in that state means we will go to Hell. This is the ‘law of Grace’ – how Grace works! - wonderful and forgiving as God is, repentance for our sins is an essential requirement – and when we are in a state free of grave sin, we are again open for Grace to pour into our lives. Dynamic relationship with God and a theology of indwelling (sanctifying) Grace which departs from us when we sin gravely (until we repent of that sin), should be encouraged and taught more from the pulpit. For an individual to live increasingly filled with Grace is a wonderful state of peace and joy, which should be so normal for us Christians that other people witness it and want what we have. Especially in a world so filled with fear and stress, we Christians have what everyone needs. Matthew 10:13 'If the house is worthy, let your peace come upon it; but if it is not worthy, let your peace return to you.' John 14:27 'Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not let them be afraid.' It is enlightened self-interest for any individual to repent of their sins, so they can be filled with the Holy Spirit and grace anew. The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy and peace – who doesn’t want that in a world full of stress and panic attacks? Don’t wait, just repent!! Galatians 5:22,23 ' By contrast, the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.' Insecurity and Inferiority - Another Secret Strategy of Satan In his book ‘Satan’s Dirty Little Secret’, Pastor Steve Foss shares a profound and very interesting prophetic vision given to him, in which he was shown the deep, deep roots, which allow the many and varied demons which torment people with persistent sin, to resist spiritual warfare and direct prayer against them. These roots are two-fold – Insecurity and Inferiority. Insecurity and Inferiority are the doorways through which every other spirit gets it entrance and manitains it hold. Insecurity is experienced when the foundations which we base our lives and beliefs on, seem to be discredited; and inferiority comes when we measure ourselves against others and to see our relative inadequacy in relation to them. These two attitudes of mind, also caused the original fall of Adam and Eve and are still widespread and extremely effective today. http://www.stevefoss.com Pastor Steve Foss elaborates the implications of this insight in considerable detail, including highlighting the advertising and entertainment media deliberately provoking inferiority to cause us to buy products; and expensive lifestyles, cars, houses with big mortgage payments, keeping us insecure from debt and money-centeredness. Another application of this insight given to Steve Foss may be relevant in the context of this message for Christian unity: The highly respected prophetic pastor Rick Joyner, shares an anointed vision (book ‘The Vision’ – Rick Joyner), in which he was shown large groups of people huddled together in a prison camp, according to their specific age group or ethnicity amongst prison guards and authority figures who are insisting that ‘we are all the same’. In the vision however, Rick points out and argues that we are evidently not all the same, but those indoctrinating that whole generation cannot hear him and are threatened by his question. Across our societies presently, much is being made of ‘political correctness’, whereby whole populations are being manipulated and are not permitted to comment upon such things as ethnic traits, or even many observations about gender diferences. It is not unusual in the United Kingdom for the test question to be put: “Would you have said that if the person was not a woman? – or man - as appropriate?”. Why this political correctness is such a damaging lie for everyone, is that if we are insisting that everyone IS the same, and so by definition - denying the positivity of the differences and diversity between us – the effect is that when we then look at other people who are more gifted in this or that area of talent and diversity, we inevitably feel inferior and insecure in the comparison. The opposite would be to be very aware of our diversity, to celebrate it, and even if another person has strengths I do not have, I am confident that I have strengths that they don’t have too – and we can all respect and appreciate each other in diversity. A modern parable, would be like the sibling who realises that his sister is much better at science than he is, who may then feel low self esteem as a result - but the wise parent will point out the fact that he is better than his sister at art and languages, so everyone’s self esteem and mutual appreciation is encouraged. Women and men are equal but certainly not the same – what a joke! Who is it that is sweeping us all into this insistence on ‘sameness’, when our diversity is so obvious that it should be appreciated and embraced? Ephesians 4:14 'We must no longer be children, tossed to and fro and blown about by every wind of doctrine, by people's trickery, by their craftiness in deceitful scheming.' Even if the average person in the world doesn’t know who or what they are, this should not be so for us Christians. We do know that we were all uniquely created by a loving Father God, in His image and likeness – and we can undo our inferiority and insecurity by embracing our uniqueness and trusting our dear loving Daddy (Abba) God more and more strongly. Indeed, in Rick Joyner’s vision, it is when Christians come to know the unconditional love of the Father, that they are strongest and most resistant to the arrows and tricks of Satan. http://www.morningstarministries.org The accusation of heresy As something of a Post-script, it may be constructive to make a comment about the word ‘heresy’. In history, the word ‘heresy’ has been used as if it were the most terrible of all sins, and indeed many people were burned at the stake for committing this offence, by all sides. The Catholic Church, particularly, has been rigid in determining and guarding historical truths and interpretations that it feels have been handed down to it, and why heresy is such an important word in that context. In the history of the Catholic Church, much has been made of the word ‘heresy’ or the labelling of someone as a ‘heretic’. Perhaps the single biggest reason is the Eucharist or Holy Communion in the Catholic Mass. When Jesus taught a large crowd of disciples that if they did not eat His body and drink his blood, they would have no life in them, most Protestants believe that Jesus was speaking figuratively and not literally; that taking communion in ‘The Lord’s Supper’ is a ‘remembering’ of the last supper, and not a spiritual event, consuming the real food and drink of Jesus’ Body. Again, this is not intended to convert Protestants to Catholic beliefs, but only for them to respect that the Catholic position is not unscriptural, but a different interpretation. Let us look again at the Scripture: John 6:51 - 67 'I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Whoever eats of this bread will live for ever; and the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh.' The Jews then disputed among themselves, saying, 'How can this man give us his flesh to eat?' So Jesus said to them, 'Very truly, I tell you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood have eternal life, and I will raise them up on the last day; for my flesh is true food and my blood is true drink. Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood abide in me, and I in them. Just as the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so whoever eats me will live because of me. This is the bread that came down from heaven, not like that which your ancestors ate, and they died. But the one who eats this bread will live for ever.' He said these things while he was teaching in the synagogue at Capernaum. When many of his disciples heard it, they said, 'This teaching is difficult; who can accept it?' But Jesus, being aware that his disciples were complaining about it, said to them, 'Does this offend you? Then what if you were to see the Son of Man ascending to where he was before? It is the spirit that gives life; the flesh is useless. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life. But among you there are some who do not believe.' For Jesus knew from the first who were the ones that did not believe, and who was the one that would betray him. And he said, 'For this reason I have told you that no one can come to me unless it is granted by the Father.' Because of this many of his disciples turned back and no longer went about with him. So Jesus asked the twelve, 'Do you also wish to go away?' Please note that when many of Jesus’ disciples found this teaching intolerable and left him, Jesus did not say “Wait, stop, you have misunderstood me – I was only speaking metaphorically, using symbolism!”. No – Jesus allowed them to leave, he had spoken literally. Similarly today, many non-Catholic Christians have found this teaching unbelievable, although the Lutherans and many Anglicans do believe that the Communion is the real presence of Jesus, and the Catholic Church for 2000 years has certainly held to this belief. This understanding however, comes with a caution: 1 Corinthians 11:27-30 'Whoever, therefore, eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be answerable for the body and blood of the Lord. Examine yourselves, and only then eat of the bread and drink of the cup. For all who eat and drink without discerning the body, eat and drink judgement against themselves. For this reason many of you are weak and ill, and some have died.' 1 Corinthians 11:29 For whoever eats and drinks from it being unworthy, eats and drinks a guilty verdict into his soul for not distinguishing the body of THE LORD JEHOVAH. Aramaic Bible in Plain English So the Catholic Church holds strongly to this interpretation, (borne out by several well documented miracles – where a consecrated bread host has turned into real cardiac muscle) that the bread and wine of the Lord’s Supper actually becomes the Real Body and Blood of Jesus. (This Biblical caution is also the loving and protective reason why Catholics resist Protestants from receiving the Eucharist in Catholic services – so that their action will not bring condemnation upon themselves.) As a consideration: if a Protestant minister had a sliver of bread on his kitchen table which was the real Body of Jesus – what would he do; how would he conduct himself; would there be a certain way that he should proceed? After all, we recall what happened to Uzzah: 2 Samuel 6:7 'The anger of the LORD was kindled against Uzzah; and God struck him there because he reached out his hand to the ark; and he died there beside the ark of God.' Well this is the situation within the Catholic Church, and after the historical model of the Levitical priests, who were specially selected, trained and performed a definite ritual to enter the Holy of Holies in the Old Testament; similarly to show due reverence to the presence of Jesus in their Communion Service, Catholics have specially prepared priests, who undergo set rituals in preparing and approaching the Real Presence of Jesus in the Eucharist. Though Protestants may not believe this, Catholics do. Now placed in such a position: of on one hand believing the Real Presence of Jesus to be present in the elements of the Lord’s Supper, and also being aware of the strict caution not to approach these elements unworthily or they will bring condemnation on themselves – the Catholic Church has been obliged to remain very close to it’s original and historical traditions. Therefore, the Catholic Church feels it has had valid reason to be robust in its defence of the truths that it has received through history. It has at times been severe with those who hold to different views – the definition of ‘heresy’ is ‘a belief or opinion contrary to orthodox religious doctrine’. (Concise Oxford Dictionary) On the other hand, Protestants have been free to ‘do Church’ in diverse styles and ways since they left the Catholic Church, even if they may also be missing something that the Catholic Church holds very dear in the Eucharist. Brothers and Sisters, let us pray not to be deceived again into hating each other just because of diversity and differences, which are allowed by God for His purposes. Indeed, when the thousands of different Christian denominations recognise with love and respect, the beauty of the diversity which God has arranged and allowed in His Mystical Body the Church, united in love and mutual respect – then we will be able to also bring the Nations of the World to also recognise their respective strengths and talents and be united in Love. 1 John 4:7,8 'Beloved, let us love one another, because love is from God; everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, for God is love.'

Purification of Memory – The 'Reformation Divorce'

By Webmaster • July 17, 2024
John Wayne and Lee Marvin play characters in the film Donovan’s Reef, who relapse into fighting whenever they see each other – predictably every year for decades. And the daughter of one of them points out that they have been fighting so long, they have forgotten what they were fighting about in the first place, so they can never make up and be friends. There seems something of that dynamic between the Catholic Christians and Protestant Christians – we’ve forgotten what we originally disagreed about .... Corruption in the Catholic Church Regrettably, the breakdown of relations between the Catholic Church and the Reformers (who had understandably protested about the unquestioned corruption within the Catholic Church at that time) was very unpleasant and destructive – with scars remaining until this day - like a very unpleasant and bitter divorce. (But we know that bitterness has unforgiveness at its root .... and the Lord's Prayer mentions forgiveness as a condition for receiving God's Grace!!). It is a well-documented and unquestioned historical fact, that at the time of the Reformation there was widespread corruption, abuse of power and ‘worldliness’ in the Catholic Church, and no doubt many of today’s Catholics would also have ‘protested’ and become ‘Protestants’ at that time. When the Pope at that time, responded defiantly to the protesters, those conscientious reformers eventually found themselves outside the Catholic Church and subsequently formed the Protestant Churches, where they have continued to test and ironically 'protect'; their parent organisation - the Roman Catholic Church ever since: As Timothy (2Timothy.3:16) states, Scripture is good for correcting error and as such the so called 'Bible-based' Churches have been rather a protection for the Catholic Church in their challenges and debate. Scripture scholarship amongst Protestants is highly respected by Catholic theologians who of course, also have their own Scripture scholars. (The Bible, as a large collection of separate books by different authors, was of course discerned and composed by the Catholic Church in the first place.) Indulgences Leading up to the Reformation it is not difficult to see God’s purposes in the Protestants ‘protesting’ about what the newly available printed Bible told them was wrong in the conduct of the Catholic Church at that time - having become corrupted by land ownership; involvement in politics; untrained clergy who were doing a "job" and not following a "calling"; and also many superstitious practices had developed, which were a distraction from true faith. The last straw was when the Pope Leo X, who was perhaps one of the most extravagant and worldly Popes in history, decided to renovate St Peter’s basilica in Rome, and to acquire the enormous sums of money for renovation, he encouraged the sale of "Indulgences," which was a promise of relief from eternal penalties. As a result, over-zealous clergy wandered the Continent encouraging and pressuring the poor to give money they couldn’t afford, for fear of their loved ones suffering longer in Purgatory than they otherwise might. In Germany this over-zealous practice aroused the frustration of Martin Luther, a Catholic monk, who, in 1517 issued ninety-five arguments (theses) suggesting reform of the Catholic Church – many of them aimed at attacking the doctrine of indulgences which was being abused and he also resented the related doctrine of Purgatory – a place of final cleansing of lesser sins (purging) before entering Heaven. Luther wrote in his 95 Theses criticising the Church, - "Why doesn't the Pope build the basilica of St Peter's out of his own money?" What Luther did was very timely, since there were numerous other factors, like a "perfect storm" which ignited at the spark which he provided – the Church was ripe for reform. German nobles saw an opportunity to cut off currency flowing to Rome which was very much needed at home, so they backed Luther's cause and Europe started to unravel into regional wars due to the combination of political interests and religious zeal.. In 1520, Leo issued the papal bull "Exsurge Domine" demanding Luther retract 41 of his 95 theses, and after Luther's refusal, excommunicated him. (Interesting that out of 95 theses, the Pope only asked him to retract 41 of them – leaving 54 that were presumably valid concerns.) Anyway, the papacy at that time was defiant and unrepentant, and eventually, after decades of ‘Protesting’, the initial reformers, whose intention had not been to leave the Catholic Church originally, but only to reform it from within, (and whose authority in doing so was reference to the newly printed Bible), ended up being excommunicated by the Vatican and left to fend for themselves. Indeed non-Catholic Christians were denounced and ‘going to Hell’, as far as the Catholic Church believed,for the next 450 years -Though there had been a longstanding debate within the Catholic Church about the salvation of non-Catholic Christians; also unbaptised babies and adults who had not heard the Gospel so had an excuse not to become Catholics, were not viewed so harshly. Finding themselves outside the Catholic Church, and therefore without the particular interpretation of the Bible that had been handed down to the Catholic Church by the early Christians, the Protestants ‘started from scratch’ - looking at the Bible and interpreting it themselves, which caused inevitable divergence from the original teaching of the Catholic Church and subsequent diversity even within their own numbers. For the Catholic Church’s part, although reforms were actually carried out following the Reformation and corruption undone, the Catholic Church fiercely defended their key truths, that had been handed down through history as Sacred Tradition (solemnly discerned God-inspired Sacred Tradition – note the capital ‘T’ in the word 'Tradition'). Looking around the Christian denominations at present, it is easy to recognise different talents, styles and emphases in the different denominations and ministries; some are more evangelising; some more contemplative; some are more attractive to young people; some are more attractive to older people; some are more involved in Social Action than others, etc. God is surely active in this diversity, which God clearly enjoys in Nature too, and which the Protestants particularly have been rather free to develop since they were not bound to the emphasis and solemn liturgy which must accompany the celebration of the Eucharist in the Catholic celebration of Holy Mass. Separated Brothers In the years since the Reformation the Catholic Church continued to teach for centuries, that anyone outside the Catholic Church could not obtain salvation and were therefore going to Hell. Considering that this stance was completely reversed at the Second Vatican Council in the 1960's, this historical condemnation had been a hurtful and divisive decree to declare against the Protesters, who had after all only opposed the corruption in the Catholic Church, in the first place. On the other hand, holding their measuring rod of the 'Bible-alone' against the Catholic Church, Protestants have also spent centuries denouncing Catholic teachings which vary from theirs in similar harsh and angry terms, insisting that anything not in the Bible cannot be true faith. Both positions have made unity more difficult. During the Council several documents were produced concerned ecumenism and a "unity" with non-Catholic Christians. As a result of those pronouncements, the Catholic Church recognized Christians in the Orthodox and Protestant Churches as "separated brethren" i.e. siblings of the same family who are not together! This was a drastic change from the previous centuries of denunciation that existed between the Catholic Church and other Christian Churches. Catholic and Orthodox Churches have long been very close in their respect for their respective diversity and formal relationships. In his famous ‘Maxims of Christian Perfection for All Christians’, Blessed Antonio Rosmini, who is being made a saint by the Catholic Church because of his exemplary life, wrote (emphases added for clarity): Jesus Christ has power over all things in heaven and on earth, and has merited to be absolute Lord of all people; and He alone, with unspeakable wisdom, power and goodness, rules all events according to His Divine pleasure, and for the greater good of the elect who form His beloved Spouse the Church. Christians therefore should feel perfectly at peace and full of joy, resting entirely upon their Lord, however contrary even to the good of the Church events may seem. But they must not cease from praying earnestly that the will of God may be done on earth as it is in heaven, that is, that people may fulfil the holy law of charity on earth as the saints fulfil it in heaven.” Christians should banish from their hearts all uneasiness, and every kind of anxiety and apprehension, even that which seems at times to have no other object than the good of the Church of Jesus Christ. Moreover, they must not rashly imagine that they can remedy the evils, which assail the Church, before they see clearly that such is the will of the Lord.* They must bear in mind that Jesus Christ alone is the Ruler of His Church, and that most displeasing to Him, and most unworthy of His disciples, is the rashness of those who, not called and moved by Him, but, led blindly by a secret pride, presume of their own accord to do any good in the Church, however little it may be, as if the Divine Redeemer stood in need of their poor help, or of that of any person whatever. (Maxim 3)- http://www.rosminicentre.co.uk/images/witness/MAXIMSPRINTEDBOOKLET.pdf (* The call to unity on this page, has come from a specific prophetic instruction to bring down the barriers between God’s people) God has certainly therefore, allowed the diversity of the Orthodox and the Reformation churches as a major factor in His Mystical Body, the Christian Church “according to His Divine pleasure” – and it would be pride and presumption for any of us to resist and be scornful of this God-given diversity without clear guidance from the Lord. The Catholic Church for its part, has held onto longstanding truths, and has not felt so free to explore different ways of ‘doing Church’ during the centuries. Each denomination has different talents and strengths – we just need, like different members of a corporate team, to respect our differences and not despise them, since the Almighty hand of God is certainly at work in this diversity within His Body. Having quoted from a Catholic saint, for our Protestant brethren let us also consider this positive view of diversity in the Scriptures, where we may also see that God enjoys diversity and expects it in His Church: At the beginning of Jesus’ public ministry in Luke 4:18, it is evident from the text He chooses (Isaiah 61) and his explanation (Luke 4:21-27) that he came to save the poor, the captive, the blind, the oppressed, Jews, and the gentiles. Jesus’ love for all people is clearly evident as the Gospels record numerous examples of his ministry: to a Roman officer (Matthew 8:5-13); a Canaanite woman (Matthew 15:22-28); a Samaritan woman (John 4:7-29), and to the “lost sheep of the house of Israel” (Matthew 10:6). His inclusivity for His Church is demonstrated by reference to the kingdom of heaven being populated by those “from east and west” (Matthew 8:10-12), no doubt a reference to his “other sheep, which are not of this fold” (John 10:16). Yet, Jesus’ desire and plan for these 'last days', is for His diverse followers to “become one flock with one shepherd” (John 10:16), “perfected in unity” as proof to the world that He was sent by God (John 17:10-26). The answer to divisions in the Church is the cross by which Jesus reconciled all things who were once hostile to himself (Colossians 1:19-21) and brought peace out of the hostility that once existed between us: Colossians 1:19 -22: For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him God was pleased to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, by making peace through the blood of his cross. And you who were once estranged and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, he has now reconciled in his fleshly body through death. Of course we also have Jesus in the Book of Revelation describing several diverse attributes of the seven Churches which he refers to positively, as well as the areas of criticism that were also mentioned. adly within 30 years of the Reformation starting, the Anabaptists insisted that the other reformers (Lutherans and Calvinists etc.) were not even Christian because they were baptised as infants (cf. infant circumcision and entry into covenant on the eighth day after birth), and Protestants began executing other Protestants over doctrinal differences according to the particular creed held to by the judiciary in respective towns and regions. The Catholics of the time were equally hostile against Protestants. In hindsight, all sides were unloving and unchristian to other Christians in the name of 'truth', which must have saddened God greatly.. So in terms of ‘purifying our memories’, as referred to by Pope John Paul II, neither the Catholics: who were in a pitiful mess and subsequently excommunicated and damned to Hell their Christian critics for 450 years; nor the Protestants: who have been equally fierce and unforgiving, not just against Catholics but even against each other, should be quick to ‘cast the first stone’ and we must remind ourselves that when we do accuse, we have one finger pointing forward and three fingers pointing back at ourselves. The Orthodox and Catholic Churches have made great progress in reconciling their differences but unfortunately, from the Protestant Churches, there is no single voice who could accept his apology and make courageous and loving steps towards forgiveness and reconciliation as Pope John Paul II did. But let us all now work and prayer to ensure that there are no more obstacles of misunderstanding and unforgiveness between us Christians brothers and sisters.
ALL ARTICLES
Share by: