In his weekly address this week in St. Peter’s Square to an audience of thousands, Pope Francis stated several times that the Roman Catholic Church is symbolic of the Virgin Mary and the Church is therefore a mother “who gives us life in Christ and, in the communion of the Holy Spirit, brings us into a common life with our brothers and sisters.”
Pope Francis went on to say the Virgin Mary’s “motherhood continues through the Church, who brings forth sons and daughters through baptism, whom she nourishes through the Word of God. The birth of Jesus in the womb of Mary as firstborn of many brothers is a prelude of the new life that Christians receive in baptism.”
As if that isn’t heretical enough, he continued by claiming the RCC “nurtures us throughout life by illuminating our path with the light of the Gospel and by sustaining us with the [seven] Sacraments, especially the Eucharist.”
His words are in diametrical opposition to the false bill of goods told to Pentecostals earlier this year by the late Bishop Tony Palmer (who sadly lied then died in a horrific motorcycle accident) and Kenneth Copeland as seen in the videos below. They proudly proclaimed the “Protest” is over since the RCC has renounced salvation by works to embrace salvation by faith alone. Pope Francis’ words above prove this isn’t true.
The Bible plainly states that baptism is “not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,” (1 Peter 3:21). Under what circumstances are we to be baptized? “…the eunuch said, See, here is water; what doth hinder me to be baptized? And Philip said, If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. And he commanded the chariot to stand still: and they went down both into the water … and he baptized him,” (Acts 8:36-38). Confessing belief (the sign of salvation) must precede baptism.
How are we saved? Not through Mary or the RCC, “[f]or by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast,” (Ephesians 2:8-9). How do we become sons and daughters? “But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God,” (John 1:12-13).
How are we sustained? We “are kept [sustained] by the power of God through faith unto salvation…” (1 Peter 1:5). “…the Lord is faithful, who shall stablish you, and keep you from evil,” (2 Thessalonians 3:3) when we continue to focus our faith on him resulting in works. Works such as Sacraments don’t sustain us in our faith. I pray that many who are blindly devoted to this “mother” will come out from among them and be separate.
Sources:
Pope Francis Commits Blasphemy As He Says We Become Christians Through Mary, Now The End Begins blog, September 3, 2014.
Elise Harris, Pope Francis: the Church is a mother who guides her children, Catholic News Agency, September 3, 2014.
sunandshield.wordpress.com 
The Pope didn’t say what your headline says he said. Are you bearing false witness?
Also, the Church cannot embrace “salvation by faith alone”, because that contradicts scripture. The only place in scripture that has “faith alone” is James 2:24, where he clearly states “You see that a man is justified by works and not by faith alone.” Obviously James is trying to counter people who believe in “faith alone”. Are you aware that Martin Luther took James out of his Bible, and added the word “alone” to Paul, invoking the curse of Rev 22:18 onto himself?
Even Paul, who may seem to advocate faith above all else says in Romans 2:6, “For he will render to every man according to his works”. And 2 Peter 3:16-17 says of Paul’s writings “there are some things in them hard to understand”. Paul also says in 1 Tim 5:8 that a man who doesn’t take care of his family is “worse than an unbeliever” and has “disowned the faith”.
Obviously “faith alone” is wrong. You are following the accursed Luther, not the scripture.
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@Green,
[Are you bearing false witness?]
Anyone who understands English can see plainly the Pope did in fact say what I said he said. So full disclosure, Green–who are you really with? Have you been sent by Opus Dei or are you a Jesuit troll on the payroll?
Roman Catholicism is very subtle like Satan in twisting the scriptures to deceive like the serpent did to Eve. Let’s put James 2 in its context:
17 Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.
18 Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works.
…
21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar?
22 Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect?
When James 2 is read in its whole context, he is simply agreeing with what Paul said in Ephesians 2 and elsewhere, which I will quote again here and add v. 10:
8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.
10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.
Romans 3 says the following:
27 Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? of works? Nay: but by the law of faith.
28 Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law.
Paul continues in Romans 4:
2 For if Abraham were justified by works, he hath whereof to glory; but not before God.
3 For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness.
4 Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt.
5 But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.
In other words, if salvation came by works, we could boast about how God paid us what he owed us (the debt) because of our works which would negate it being a gift. That’s essentially what all false religions teach. But wait! There’s more in Romans 11!–
5 Even so then at this present time also there is a remnant [in Israel] according to the election of grace.
6 And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then it is no more grace: otherwise work is no more work.
If you claim the grace of salvation comes by works, Paul is saying you would have to change the definition of the words “grace” and “work” to mean something totally different. That’s what Catholicism does–it changes the definitions. Works are simply the proof that one already has salvation, the righteousness of God, in one’s heart. Works do not give us salvation, they are the result of it. You’re attempting to equate James’ “justified by works”–which is the living proof of what God has done in one’s heart–with the same type of justification Jesus accused the Jewish leaders of having in Luke 16:15 and warned us against:
And he said unto them, Ye are they which justify yourselves before men; but God knoweth your hearts…
Paul also warned us against the type of mentality, Green, that you are promoting–
2 For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge.
3 For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God.
I’m not hung up on Luther or any “Protestant” leader as I explain in this post –> https://sunandshield.wordpress.com/2008/08/10/six-wrongs-of-the-protestant-reformation/
To paraphrase Paul’s words to the Corinthians, if I were to say I am of Luther or I am of Calvin or I am of Wesley, would I not be carnal? Although I respect those who preach the genuine gospel, I don’t put any of them on a pedestal and I don’t want anyone putting me on one because I would just be mimicking what the RCC and other pagan systems do.
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There is nothing heretical in the Pope’s statement, Harry. The church may be regarded as our mother as surely as she is regarded as the bride of Christ. She may even be regarded as our brother or sister
depending on the lesson to be taught. While Jesus was still talking to the crowd, his mother and brothers stood outside, wanting to speak to him. Someone told him, “Your mother and brothers are standing outside, wanting to speak to you.” He replied to him, “Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?” Pointing to his disciples, he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers. For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.” (Matthew 12:46-50).
The context of this teaching is often wrongly used to devalue Mary, but the Lord said he came not to
abolish the law, but to fulfill it (Matthew 5:17), so it puzzles me that this teaching is used by some to
“prove” Mary’s insignificance to the Lord or the church. She was his mother – or as the Orthodox prefer,
Theotokos – the God Bearer. Furthermore, she did the will by being obedient, so was his mother in both
the natural and spiritual sense. Jesus fulfilled all righteousness in His obligation to his natural mother as
both man and God, just as he did when He submitted to John’s baptism.
Furthermore, Jesus taught the command to honour your father and mother (Mark 7:9-13) and Paul
affirms this in Ephesians 6:1-3 “Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. “Honor your
father and mother”—which is the first commandment with a promise— “so that it may go well with you
and that you may enjoy long life on the earth.” Furthermore, Jesus gave Mary to His beloved disciple,
John, at the cross. Why, John wasn’t a blood relative? Mary would have naturally been supported by her
other sons, but Jesus gave her to John to honour as his mother. Is this an insignificant act? No, nothing
Jesus said or did on earth was insignificant.
The truth is that the law can only be properly fulfilled by loving God with all your heart, mind and strength and loving your neighbour as yourself as the following shows: Hearing that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, the Pharisees got together. One of them, an expert in the law, tested him with this question: “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” Jesus replied: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” (Matthew 22:34-40).
St. Paul made it very clear in the heart of his exposition and defense of the gospel of grace: “Do we then overthrow the law by this faith? By no means! On the contrary, we uphold the law!” (Romans 3:31). How so? The righteousness of the law can only be fulfilled in those who walk according to the Spirit and not the flesh. (Romans 8:4). “The conclusion is inescapable, the precepts of the Decalogue have complete relevance to the believer as the criteria of that manner of life which love to God and our neighbour dictates.” (New Bible Dictionary, 1982, LAW, pp 686-687).
So, how are we saved? By placing our entire trust in Jesus Christ’s saving grace and loving Him. Trusting and loving are doing words (verbs), Harry, not just mental concepts. St. James recognized the danger of mere nodding in agreement apart from doing the will of God (James 2:19), and God’s will is the same today as it was from the beginning. You cannot claim to be a Christian if you are stuck in adultery or murder or lawlessness. That verges on some Gnostic belief.
Lastly, what did Martin Luther believe? Does justification by faith alone provide a license for sin? Luther
was acutely aware of this allegation. In a sermon, he summarized the charge leveled against him:
“Where the Gospel begins to loose the conscience of its own works, it seems to forbid good works and
the keeping of the law. It is the common speech of all the teachers of the law, and of the scribes and
doctors, to say: If all our works amount to nothing and if the works done under the law are evil, we will
never do good. You forbid good works and throw away God’s law; you heretic, you…wish to make bad
people free.” Paul Althaus writes of Luther’s position, “…Righteousness and certainty of salvation, once experienced, lead, with inner necessity, to ‘works,’ to new obedience, and to joyfully serving God by serving the neighbor” [Paul Althaus, The Theology of Martin Luther [Philadelphia: Fortress Press, 1963], 246.)
In conclusion, Harry, in a world where going to some charismatic churches is like watching a re-run of
“The Secret” (more Gnosticism) and liberal pastors believe that evolution is true (Materialism), I think the Catholic Church is actually doing the will of Christ.
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Dean,
Your attempt to muddy the waters by putting up smokescreens to run interference for your heretical Pope isn’t surprising given your comments in the past. Still drinking the poisoned Jesuit Kool-Aid? Despite your many words, we still have the Pope’s own words to reveal his lies. Your verbose “you-don’t-see-what-you-really-see” comments don’t negate the fact he said sons and daughters are brought forth through Mary by baptism and receive new life in baptism in the RCC. It’s the same old pagan belief that one earns salvation by works, which is why Roman Catholics boast about earning their salvation in stark contrast to Paul saying there is no room for human boasting and that boasting has no place in the salvation equation in Ephesians 2.
Neither are true Christians sustained in their relationship with God by 7 Sacraments as the Pope stated. Your devotion to Popes is why you attempt to confuse with your words. Although you rightfully criticize charismatics for gnosticism, the RCC itself is the poster child for gnostic doctrine. It follows the gnostic doctrine of the Nicolaitanes (from “nico” (victory over) and “laity” (the people)) that Jesus warned us about in Revelation where a mere mortal called the Pope lords it over the RCC as they bow down to his traditional man-made wishes, considering him an infallible ascended master as if he’s God. The pot is calling the kettle black.
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Gentlemen, I like to think of it this way. If it is by works that we are established and brought to salvation, then works come first and God’s grace has no standing and the shed blood of our Saviour Christ Jesus is of no significance. In this case we are saying that we are first and God is second. However, if by grace we are saved through faith in Him, and works are the result of that faith, then God is put first and we are second. This puts the relationship in the right order.
On the matter of Jesus’ mother Mary, she is to be held in high esteem as the earthly mother of our Lord. She is to be regarded as holy because of her selfless giving so that the Lord’s work may be done. However, there is but one mediator between us and God and that is our Lord, Christ Jesus. The church is the bride of Christ and not His mother. When Jesus told John this is your mother and Mary, this is your son, he was signifying that we followers of Christ are to care for one another as we are all one in His body.
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Anonymous,
Thanks for pointing out Christ as mediator. The only way he can be mediator is by his sinless sacrifice for all mankind. Mary was a sinner for whom Christ died and can, therefore, bring salvation to no one. She died just like every other human has or will, and is waiting, like other believers, to receive a resurrected body. And the sacrament of confession has done much harm to many people instead of sustaining them in Christ. The confessional has been used for blackmail, betrayal of state secrets, and to extort sexual favors from those who confess.
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