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| Catholic Books That I Read For My Recent Series |
Here is an brief excerpt: YouTube star Lizzie Estella Reezay has announced that she’s converting from Protestantism to Catholicism. “I want everyone to know that I hated that this was happening,” she explains in a recent video. “I fought so hard to get out of this intellectually. I did not want to be Catholic. Not only did I think Catholicism was wrong, I just didn’t like the vibe of Catholicism. I wanted to be anything but Catholic.”
She explains how hard it was for her to make her announcement video because she knew many of her Protestant family and friends would perceive it to be a betrayal. But, she explains, she was obliged to become Catholic by the force of one simple fact: it was true..."
I recently did a two month study of the inspired Song of Mary (the Magnificat) from the gospel of Luke. In conjunction with this verse by verse study I shared a thematic series on "Will the Real Mary Please Stand Up?" These messages are available for free if you click here. One of the reasons why I felt the necessity to preach this series of sermons and to read so many books by Catholic theologians is to provide a biblical response to Lizzie's recent claim (that she has found the true truth in Rome).
As many of you know, the Catholic Church has over 1 Billion followers worldwide. Their influence is massive. The most important question however is are their articles of faith truly biblical? If the Catholic teaching related to Mary is unbiblical, could they be wrong on justification/salvation? I would encourage you to search the Scriptures diligently and to listen to my series of messages on Luke 1 and on the "real" Mary. I have provided an extensive sermon outline/notes below to give you a flavor of what we covered in this very important series.
Selected Scriptures
“Mary Worship or Veneration?
Call It What IT Is!”
(pt. 4)
INTRO- You be the judge using only the Bible as the sole arbitrator in all
disputes
(be it marital, religious, etc).
One of the
central disagreements between Catholics and Evangelicals is whether Rome’s
“veneration of
Mary” crosses the line into the realm of blasphemy &/or idolatrous worship!
The Roman Catholic hierarchy has
distorted God’s Word in
these 3 Ways:
1)
2)
3)
During all my research on Mary
and Luke 1 the following four key lessons have been impressed upon my heart and
mind:
I)
(Exodus
20:1f; 34:14; Isaiah
42:8)
Jot down some of erroneous features/traits
that Catholic’s have attributed to Mary: ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Note Alphonsus Liguori’s, “The Glories of Mary: Explanation of the ‘Hail Holy Queen.’”
(Printed by Catholic Book Publishing
Corp).
A Second Key Lesson
II)
(Revelation
19:9-10)
Catholic theologians
basically invented three “smoke and mirrors” terms:
Lutria-
Dulia-
Hyperdulia-
A Third Key Lesson
III)
(2
Tim. 2:15; Jude 3-4;
2
Pet. 3:14-18; Eph. 4:11-15)
A Fourth key lesson
IV)
(Mark
16:15; 1 Pet. 3:15
Col.
1:13-18; Luke 13:12-30
John
10:13; 14:6)
Conclusions
For Further Reflection/Application:
If you want/need a silver-platter
evangelism opportunity consider joining the Good
News Club via CEF and LCBC. This
established club needs loving Christian witnesses to serve the children at
Swallow School in Hartland. Please contact
Maribeth (CEF) or Bill W (LCBC) for more information.
If God’s Word is the sole
authority of the Church does Catholic “Mariolatry” withstand the test of holy
Scripture? If not, how should we
respond?
Is it unloving to ask our lost religious friends who to
reconsider what God’s Word actually says
about the REAL Mary, the BIBLICAL Jesus, and the TRUE gospel?
How do Catholic’s justify their
exalted veneration of Mary? (see lesson 2)
Pope John XIII said that “the
Madonna is not pleased when she is put above her Son.” Scriptures teaches that God is not pleased
when anyone is placed on level ground with His one of a kind Son (note John
1:1-18; Col. 1-2; Heb 1-2).
How does Ligouri’s The Glories of Mary (as one Catholic
example) violate Pope John XIII’s teaching?
When are you tempted to employ
“verbal gymnastics” rather then shooting straight with someone?
How do Roman Catholic’s employ
“verbal gymnastics” with regards to Mary and Jesus?
“A missions minded local church
preaches the gospel both near and far.”
Is LCBC as committed to reaching the lost for Christ in Lake Country as
we are in India or China?
When is the last time you shared
the gospel with someone? Are you as
intentional in your witnessing as the Lord calls you to be? If not, explain why this is such a struggle
and seek out another believer who could disciple you in this important area of
our Christian walks.
There are many former Roman
Catholic converts who are now part of solid, evangelical churches (including
LCBC). Ask a former Catholic to share
their testimony of how God brought them out of the Catholic church (Ephesian
2:1-10)? This would make for great lunch
fellowship.
Are you faithfully engaging in gospel seed sowing (Mark
16:15/Acts 1:8) and in Christian apologetics (1 Peter 3:15/Jude 3-4)? If not, why?
Related Biblical Texts:
Matthew 1:18-25; Mark
3:31-34; 6:1-6; 15:40; Luke 1:26-46; 2:1-52; 11:27-28; John 2:1-12; 19:25-27;
Acts 1:12-14; Galatians 4:4-5; Colossians 1-2; John 19:25-27; John 1:12; Matt.
12:46-50; 1 Kings 2.
