MARY
Mary is a common name in the Bible and also the name of the mother of Jesus. It was said to Mary, “Blessed art thou among women” (Luke 1:28). But she was still a woman and as such would have had a sin nature like everyone else (Romans 3:10, 23). There is no immaculate conception (without sin) of Mary in the Bible, and she was saved as all sinners are (Luke 1:47). There is no Assumption of Mary taught in the Bible (that when she died, she went directly to heaven without being buried), and no one worshiped her in the Bible. Though a church may deny that they worship Mary, if they pray to her, it is a form of worship. I was taught to pray, “Hail Mary,” but when I was saved, I put my faith in God alone and changed churches. The Bible teaches we are to pray to the Father (see PRAYER; MEDIATOR). The Bible says that when the wise men came bearing their gifts, they worshiped “him” (the baby Jesus), not Mary (Matthew 2:11). Mary had at least six more children after Christ: “Is not this the carpenter’s son? is not his mother called Mary? and his brethren, James, and Joses, and Simon, and Judas? And his sisters, are they not all with us?” (Matthew 13:55–56; see MEDIATOR).
MEDIATOR
“For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus” (1 Timothy 2:5). Jesus Christ is the “one mediator” between man and God, not angels (Colossians 2:18), not Mary, but only Christ. God is everywhere present, and He is not “too busy” to hear your prayers. All prayers are to be directed to God in the name of Jesus, as our Lord taught. “And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it” (John 14:13–14; see also Matthew 18:19–20). The Bible says, “all have sinned” (Romans 3:23), Christ being the only exception (1 John 3:5; 2 Corinthians 5:21). We cannot pray to other sinners, living or dead, and no one in the Bible prayed to dead people (see PRAYER).
Mary is a common name in the Bible and also the name of the mother of Jesus. It was said to Mary, “Blessed art thou among women” (Luke 1:28). But she was still a woman and as such would have had a sin nature like everyone else (Romans 3:10, 23). There is no immaculate conception (without sin) of Mary in the Bible, and she was saved as all sinners are (Luke 1:47). There is no Assumption of Mary taught in the Bible (that when she died, she went directly to heaven without being buried), and no one worshiped her in the Bible. Though a church may deny that they worship Mary, if they pray to her, it is a form of worship. I was taught to pray, “Hail Mary,” but when I was saved, I put my faith in God alone and changed churches. The Bible teaches we are to pray to the Father (see PRAYER; MEDIATOR). The Bible says that when the wise men came bearing their gifts, they worshiped “him” (the baby Jesus), not Mary (Matthew 2:11). Mary had at least six more children after Christ: “Is not this the carpenter’s son? is not his mother called Mary? and his brethren, James, and Joses, and Simon, and Judas? And his sisters, are they not all with us?” (Matthew 13:55–56; see MEDIATOR).
MEDIATOR
“For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus” (1 Timothy 2:5). Jesus Christ is the “one mediator” between man and God, not angels (Colossians 2:18), not Mary, but only Christ. God is everywhere present, and He is not “too busy” to hear your prayers. All prayers are to be directed to God in the name of Jesus, as our Lord taught. “And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it” (John 14:13–14; see also Matthew 18:19–20). The Bible says, “all have sinned” (Romans 3:23), Christ being the only exception (1 John 3:5; 2 Corinthians 5:21). We cannot pray to other sinners, living or dead, and no one in the Bible prayed to dead people (see PRAYER).
