Of the myriad of false doctrines and practices of Catholicism one especially stands out as a key distinctive -- the Rosary. The Rosary is elevated to the pinnacle of importance in Catholicism yet it points people away from Jesus and to Mary as our life, sweetness and hope. Catholics show their authentic devotion to Mary by reciting the Rosary. In it Mary is also declared to be queen, Mother of mercy and our most gracious advocate, as the Rosary is recited. Since the Bible calls Jesus our advocate (1 John 2:1) and the Rosary declares Mary to be our most gracious advocate, then Mary is exalted over Jesus with this title too. Furthermore, all of this is related to salvation itself.
When so-called Protestants start praying the Rosary (and openly declaring these things) with Catholics as they are doing now, you can be assured that spiritual darkness has gained significant ground among those who profess to be Bible believers.
Many of the same non-Catholic-in-name people think Mary is an intercessor and role model for them and that there is nothing wrong with appropriate devotion for Mary. They also view her as the mother of the church.
Regarding the Episcopal and United Methodist churches we read in one newspaper:
Some Protestant churches, especially Episcopal and United Methodist, in recent years have offered Bible studies and classes that focus on the Virgin Mary as a model for Christian women.
How any Protestant church can offer classes that focus on Mary being a model by forcing out this interpretation only shows most are in such a desperate way they don't even know those meetings are dangerously misleading. The true role model for Christians is Jesus first and other heroes of the faith, like Paul afterwards (1 Cor. 11:1). Mary is never shown to be a role model in Scripture, intercessor, mother of the church, etc., even though she was the earthly mother of Jesus.
As far as devotion is concerned, the Bible says it is to be exclusively focused on the Lord Jesus:
I am saying this for your own good, not to restrict you, but that you may live in a right way in undivided devotion to the Lord (1 Cor. 7:35).
But I am afraid that just as Eve was deceived by the serpent's cunning, your minds may somehow be led astray from your sincere and pure devotion to Christ (2 Cor. 11:3).
If we didn't have the Bible we wouldn't know the truth about these things, but thank God we do have God's word in print that supercedes all other teachings, church councils, experiences, vision, dreams, feelings, traditions, etc. (2 Tim. 3:16,17). Our eternal destiny depends on what we do with the message of the Bible. Sorry will be the person who dares to venture beyond the 66 books of the Bible for their beliefs.
Blessed is the man who makes the LORD his trust (Psa. 40:4).
Don't go with the flow with Protestant devotion to Mary.
Mary's Recorded Words in the Bible
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