Dearest Rebecca,

I appreciate your knowledge of scripture and the ability to come up with a verse for every occasion, i.e. Psalms 119:103. Cute. Scripture has a verse for all occasions, I'm sure of that. But I would like to address your response to my letter. I have a tendence to get wordy as you have noticed, but bear with me on this. And I also have a tendency to sound cocky and arrogant with my phrases. Just ignore it. My intention is to give glory to God alone the best way I know how and to evangelize my Faith.

I would like to first address Romans 11:35. I believe I mentioned Hebrews 11:35 to prove my point on the Apocrypha being quoted in the New Testament. I used Romans 11:6 by quoting what you had previously said suggesting that it is not of works but by grace that I am saved through faith and I cannot trust my works. Look at that passage in context, please.

If you continue to quote scripture verses out of context, you can make the bible read however you wish. This is why there are so many Protestant denominations. This passage is discussing Old Testament times. Paul is explaining how God remains faithful to Israel even though Israel has been unfaithful to the prophetic message of the gospel. When Paul says, "But if by grace, it is no longer because of works..." the works here is that of Old Testament circumcision. He didn't have to spell it out for them. They understood how Paul used the Old Testament continually to drive home his messages. The book of Romans is packed with Old Testament quotes. The Old Testament is the only scripture they had back then, and they knew it well. When Paul speaks here of works, they KNOW he is speaking of circumcision; and not just circumcision. The works include any sacrificial ceremonies--like animal sacrifices as well.

"How sweet are thy words unto my taste! sweeter than honey to my mouth!" That's great. But you didn't answer my explaination of the artificial high. I have never heard a priest scream and shout, spit slinging on all those in the front row, while giving a homily. There is something about stirring one's emotions with enthusiasm. John Hagee does this extremely well. He begins praising Jesus to the point of blowing the roof right off the building. I don't think anybody can just sit there without feeling an emotional excitement for the Lord. This "artificial high" fix comes every Sunday morning and evening, and Wednesday evenings. In between these times people are constantly "high on Jesus!" because they are getting their fix three times a week. Well all I can say for that is, PRAISE JESUS! But this fix isn't lasting (I know you'll eat that one up). Try to live without going to these services week after week after week and see what will happen. That is why I said it is an artificial high because it stirs the emotions for a short while. It is like a runner carbo-loading just before a race. He fills himself up with this energy boost but it last long enough to finish the race. I can go on and on but I think you get my meaning. The main thing that these artificial highs can do is blind a person to the truth. It creates a false sense of security that will not allow one to pursue the truth. This can be a subject that can be dragged out a long time because it will cause me to address the Eucharist. You touched on it but I will like to touch on it as well next time.

MARY. What a lovely name--Mary. When I refer to her, I recognize her as Blessed, don't you? After all she did prophecy that all generations shall call her blessed, did she not? Isn't that what she said in Luke 1:48? And this worship stuff? I think I can read fairly well and have a pretty good understanding of what I read. I believe that she also said that God is her savior. Let's see......yep she sure did: Luke 1:47, "my spirit rejoices in God my savior." I cannot believe that I would be so stupid that I would worship someone that needed a savior also. There is another myth that suggests we believe that Mary is THE MOTHER OF GOD. Well she is the mother of God. At least that is what Elizabeth suggested in Luke 1:43, "And why is this granted to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?" I have noticed that bibles have diminished the importance of Mary by referring to her as "highly favored" when in fact she was "full of grace." Ponder that awhile, "full of grace." That's awesome.

There is no doubt in my mind that this Mary is the same Mary of Fatima. You disagree because she used the word sacrifice. Mary actually said, "Pray, pray a great deal and make many sacrifices, for many souls go to Hell because they have no one to make sacrifices and to pray for them." Is she talking about animal sacrifices and circumcision? Is she talking about everyone getting nailed to a cross because the one-time sacrifice of Jesus wasn't enough? You see Rebecca, as a Catholic we have a wonderful thing called "redemptive value of suffering." Please do not confuse this with the redeemptive value of Calvary. If the word redeem had just that meaning, then I think the dictionary would say that redeem is meant to be used strictly when speaking about Jesus. What Mary is referring to here when she asks for sacrifices, is that when we give up something of great importance, we offer it up as a prayer. Fasting is a good example of this.

Another example would be if a father (is it okay to use that word here because I am not referring to priest, right?) gives up his evening of relaxation to go to his sons baseball game, especially when he hates baseball, then that is a small sacrifice. He sacrificed his evening for his son. You know I still cannot understand how you can quote scripture to fit your belief system. You begin quoting scripture to prove your point of the one perfect sacrifice, which I agree to 100%. But why is it that in Romans, Paul asks us to offer our bodies as a living sacrifice? Romans 12:1, "I appeal to you therefore, bretheren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship."

Do you fast? I don't mean cutting back on calories to lose weight. I mean do you fast as a prayer? If not, why? Jesus speaks about fasting in Matthew 6:16. The whole purpose of fasting is to offer it up as a prayer, and that is exactly what the Blessed Mother was suggesting at Fatima.

I would like to hear your interpretation of Colossians 1:24, "Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I am filling up what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ on behalf of his body, which is the Church." I recognize this as meaning, of course, that Christs sufferings were sufficient for our redemption, but all of us may add our sufferings to His, in order that the fruits of his redemption be applied to the souls of men.

I believe it to be true that you base everything on scripture and scripture alone. I know you have heard this before but I will ask it again: Where does the bible say that it is the only authority? It seems to me that when you do not include Sacred Tradition (not traditions of man) that you have limited God to scripture alone. But scripture has left out alot of things that we call Tradition. I wonder what the author of the Second and Third Letters of John said to the Christian communities since he did not intend to use paper and ink but instead hoped to visit them and speak to them face to face? If nowhere in the gospels does Jesus say, "It is more blessed to give than receive." but Paul says that Jesus said it, I wonder how much more Jesus said that isn't written in the bible, John 21:25

I guess I have said enough for now and I look forward to your reply.

God Bless,

Kenneth

Dear Kenneth,

First of all, it was never my intent to be “cute”, but rather to show that when I desire something “sweet”, I go to the word of God, not to some smooth talking showman intending to use the word of God for gain. The “artificial high” you speak of is just that, artificial. This is just another example of putting anything, whether it is tradition or experience, over the word of God. It is interesting that you would claim that one never sees a priest do such things, yet I have witnessed personally Catholic priests standing in agreement and practicing the same techniques with Benny Hinn. How do you feel about that Kenneth? We see plenty of this today as the Lord forwarned. “And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not.” (2Pe 2:3)

The King James Bible rightly translated Mary as being "highly favoured" instead of "full of grace", as that would have contradicted John 1:18 which states that Jesus is the only-begotten of the Father "full of grace".

You asked if I recognize Mary as “blessed”, of course I do, since the scriptures do testify to that fact. But this in no way gives Rome a license to set her up as “Queen of Heaven”, or make images of her and bow themselves before it. “Blessed” also does not mean that Mary has all the attributes of God, such as omnipotence, omniscience, or omni-present. There is no one like God (Isa.46:5) How does Rome explain Mary being able to answer millions of prayers a second, and perform all the functions of the Holy Spirit? You say that it is “stupid” for someone to worship someone who “needed a savior also”. We agree totally. It is blasphemy!!! Romans 1:25 speaks of men who hold the truth of God in unrighteousness. They:

“...changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.”

You express no doubt that the “Mary” of Fatima (who said, “Pray, pray a great deal and make many sacrifices, for many souls go to Hell because they have no one to make sacrifices and to pray for them.”) is the Mary of the Bible. However, the true Mary, (being a Jewish woman) knew that without the shedding of blood, there is no remission of sin. (Heb.9:22) Isa.53:5-6 very plainly states:

“But he [was] wounded for our transgressions, [he was] bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace [was] upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.”

I would highly recommend you read Quite Contrary, by Timothy F. Kauffman. He goes through many of the accepted apparitions and shows how they contradict the scriptures. We were warned that Satan can and does appear as an angel of light (2 Cor.11:14). The only way we have of testing the spirits is the word of God. Isa.8:20 says, "To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them."

While it is true that we are to offer ourselves to God as a living sacrifice, the Bible never claims that our personal sacrifices can take away the sins of another, and I would personally like to challenge you, Kenneth, to give me one scripture to back up such a claim. Only the blood of Jesus can, as James 1:7 confirms: “...the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from ALL sin.” “Mary’s” claim that there is no one to make sacrifices for the people heading for Hell is a blatant contradiction of Hebrews 10:18 which plainly states: “Now where remission of these [is, there is] no more offering for sin.”

You ask where in the bible does it say that the word of God is the sole authority. Kenneth, the Lord has put the word above his name ("...for thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name." Ps 138:2) The Lord promised to preserve His word forever (Ps.12:5-6) but He never promised to preserve the words of the "church fathers". So holy is His word, that there is a curse to anyone who adds to it or takes from it.

"Ye shall not add unto the word which I command you, neither shall ye diminish [ought] from it, that ye may keep the commandments of the LORD your God which I command you." (De 4:2)

"What thing soever I command you, observe to do it: thou shalt not add thereto, nor diminish from it." (De 12:32)

"Add thou not unto his words, lest he reprove thee, and thou be found a liar." (Pr 30:6)

"For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book."(Re 22:18)

The gospel that the disciples were commanded to preach was made manifest by the word of God alone, whether spoken, or written!

"Now to him that is of power to stablish you according to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began, But now is made manifest, and by the scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the everlasting God, made known to all nations for the obedience of faith." (Rom.16:25-26)

"Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called [to be] an apostle, separated unto the gospel of God, 2 (Which he had promised afore by his prophets in the holy scriptures,)"(Ro 1:1)

Kenneth, the scriptures are filled with proof that the word of God is the final authority because all men will be judged by His word. ( "He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day." Joh 12:48

We here at FCFC will be praying for you Kenneth. Please Kenneth, seek God in His word as the Bereans did in Acts 17. The Lord warns us not to trust in men, but to trust in Him. (Jer.17:5-7) Go for it!!!

Most Sincere,

Rebecca A. Sexton

Many of the doctrines of Catholicism have been developed over the centuries and they contain no scriptural foundation. The following is a list of these traditions and the date in which they were pronounced “doctrine”.

Prayers for the dead were introduced in 310

The lighting of candles in 320

The worship of saints about 375

The mass was adopted in 394

The worship of Mary began to develop about 432

Priests began to assume distinctive robes in 500

The doctrine of purgatory was introduced in 593

Worship in Latin (since repealed) was mandated in 600

Claims to Papal Supremacy took firm foot in 606

Feasts in honor of the Virgin Mary began in 650

The custom of kissing the Pope's foot was introduced in 709

The worship of images and relics was authorized in 788

The invention of holy water was about 850

The canonization of saints was formalized in 993

Feasts for the dead were introduced in 1003

The celibacy of the priesthood was declared in 1074

The dogma of Papal infallibility was announced in 1076

Prayer beads were introduced in 1090

The doctrine that there are seven sacraments was introduced in 1140

The sale of indulgences began in 1190

The wafer was substituted for the loaf in 1200

The dogma of transubstantiation was adopted in 1215

Confession was instituted in 1215

The adoration of the Wafer began in 1220

The Ave Maria was introduced in 1316

The cup was taken from the laity in 1415

Purgatory was officially decreed in 1439

Roman tradition was placed on the same level as Scripture in 1546

The Apocrypha was received into the Canon in 1546

The immaculate conception of the Virgin Mary was announced in 1854

The doctrine of the temporal power of the Pope proclaimed in 1864

The personal corporeal presence of the Virgin in heaven in 1950

(Taken from Can A Christian Remain A Roman Catholic, John Phillips)

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