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Idolatry or Intercession?
by Eugene Lopatynsky Some will deny they commit idolatry, saying they merely ask dead people to intercede for them before God. Ask whom? Ask Paul or Peter or Mary, who supposedly have greater favor with God? These are asked (in prayer) to intercede for those now living. The point made was that these "saints" were only sought to intercede for the living, not to become any additional "gods". What does God say about all that? Is there another intercessor? In the Old Testament, a priest would intercede (mediate) with God, by offering a blood sacrifice to God. The sacrifice offered had to be perfect, without spot or wrinkle. The purpose of the blood sacrifice was to teach men that sin kills and that God has only one method of forgiveness future forgiveness will be available only if someone perfect, a proxy, takes your sins, your penalty and agony upon himself. Each blood sacrifice pointed to a SAVIOR that in the fullness of time a perfect Kinsman Redeemer, without sin, will appear and, because of His love for us, offer himself to pay for our sins. All that all priestly INTERCESSION and animal sacrifice - was stopped (halted) in the New Testament, when Christ Jesus gave HIMSELF as the only Kinsman Redeemer and became the ONLY SAVIOR AND ONLY INTERCESSOR AVAILABLE FOR MANKIND. There is no other intercessor or mediator apart from CHRIST JESUS. What does God say? FOR THERE IS ONE GOD, AND ONE MEDIATOR BETWEEN GOD AND MEN, THE MAN CHRIST JESUS; 1 Tim 2: 5-6 The dead, who, supposedly, "have greater favor with God" than a living petitioner can they intercede? Does the New Testament teach anywhere to come to FATHER GOD in the name of Paul, or Peter, or Mary? NEVER! We approach the Father always in the name of Christ Jesus, the only Kindred Redeemer, who ALONE paid for our sin, and there is NO other savior or intercessor for us before Father God. How, in what manner, do people ask for intercession? HOW does a man pray today to Paul or Peter or Mary, to intercede for him? Does the penitent fall on his knees? Does he fold his hands? Does he bow his head before Mary or the "Saints"? These things constitute worship to a someone other than God. God says this is idolatry Deut 5:8-9. Thou shalt not make thee any graven image, or any likeness OF ANY THING that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the waters beneath the earth: 9. THOU SHALT NOT BOW DOWN THYSELF UNTO THEM, nor serve them: for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me, What did God say? "Make no image of ANYTHING which is in heaven, on Earth or under the water". Why? "So you do NOT BOW DOWN YOURSELF unto them, nor serve them" This is the SECOND OF THE TEN COMMANDMENTS. Maybe some should read the Bible some time and forget Catechisms. What did Satan demand of Jesus in Matthew 4:9-10? 9. And saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me. 10. Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve. (Consider attitude of prayer: Fall on your knees, incline your head, raise your hands? What did Satan want from Jesus? Fall down and worship him! That constitutes worship. How do you pray to Mary or your intended intercessor?) How about talking to the dead? A living person can try to intercede, can pray for others. But any communication with the dead is strictly and absolutely forbidden by God. This is called NECROMANCY, or the beginning of it. Paul is dead. Peter is dead. Mary is dead; her remains and those of Joseph were discovered in their grave in Jerusalem. Only ONE came back from the dead. His name is Jesus. What is the mechanism and purpose of SEANCES? Demons lyingly pretend and act out a theater, impersonating the dead. God placed a separation between the dead and the living. In a sance the spirits of the dead will not be there, but there will be demons lyingly assuming their identity. Does praying to a dead Peter really mean praying to a demon? Why do you suppose God forbade those things? What does God say about bowing down before statues or paintings? May I repeat the Second of the Ten Commandments? Deut 5:8-9. Thou shalt NOT MAKE thee any graven image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the waters beneath the earth: 9. THOU SHALT NOT BOW DOWN THYSELF UNTO THEM, nor serve them: for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me, What did God say? "Make no image of ANYTHING which is in heaven, on Earth or under the water". Why? "SO YOU DO NOT BOW DOWN YOURSELF UNTO THEM, NOR SERVE THEM" This is the Second of the Ten Commandments. Maybe some should read the Bible some time? Forget the doctored Catechism. If still in doubt, compare Exodus 20: 3-73, Levit. 26: 1, Deut. 27: 15, Ezek. 16: 17-18. Corinthians 10:14 14. Wherefore, my dearly beloved, flee from idolatry. For Christians there is only ONE Savior and ONE intercessor, and his name is Christ Jesus. Talking to dead "Saints" is absolutely forbidden. Breaking the Second of the Ten Commandments in any way is a mortal sin, the sin of IDOLATRY . Some will say that the above is, perhaps, not very important to them. If so, then your salvation is not important to you? Or what God says is not important to you? Have it your own way, Kiddo. To get a list of my articles write my full name (Eugene Lopatynsky) into GOOGLE, then click on faithwriters. Or use EDGE for your search engine. Article Source: http://www.faithwriters.com |