Should We Worship Mary Luke 1: 42-43 CLICK TITLE FOR AUDIO

Should we worship Mary?  No.  Should we pray to Mary? No.  Can Mary save us?  No.

Indeed, there are many remarkable things about Mary.  She was a virgin when she brought forth the Lord Jesus Christ (Is 7:14; Lk 1:27, 34; Matt 1:25).  She believed the angel when he told her how she would conceive and bring forth Jesus (Lk 1:38, 45).  In this, she demonstrated more faith than Zacharias, John the Baptist’s father (Lk 1:19-20).  She was blessed among women and highly favored by the Lord (Lk 1:28, 42).  She praised the Lord (Lk 1:46-55) and her testimony was filled with references from scripture.  She obeyed the law (Lk 2:21-24).

However, these remarkable characteristics still do not warrant her worship.  To worship Mary violates the word of God, “Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve,” (Lk 4:8).  In the book of Revelation, John attempted to worship the angel who spoke to him in Rev 19:9-10 and who showed him “the things which must shortly be done,” (Rev 22:6) and the angel replied, “… worship God,” (Rev 19:10; 22:9).  No one, other than God, is worthy of our worship (Ps 29:2).

In addition to Mary’s good qualities, though, she also had some problems that are common to man.  She was a sinner.  In Lk 1:46-47, following Elisabeth’s blessing, Mary said, “… my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour.”  She wouldn’t have called God, “my Saviour” unless she was a sinner in need of a Savior.

In Lk 2:22-24, following the days of her purification, Mary offered the sacrifice that was required according to the law in Lev 12:8.  The sacrifice was a sin offering and atonement for her.  Mary would not have offered this sacrifice if she were sinless and not in need of atonement.  Some people teach that Mary was immaculately conceived (that is, without sin).  But such is not the case, according to Luke and also according to Paul, “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God,” (Rom 3:23).

To worship Mary or to use her statue as an aid to worship is, therefore, idolatry and a violation of the second commandment.  Ex 20:4-5 says, “Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me.”

Furthermore, to venerate Mary by calling her the Blessed Virgin, as if she maintained a perpetual virginity, is absolutely contrary to the truth of scripture.  Mary had at least 6 other children after Jesus was born.  In Mk 6:3 his brothers are named.  Some people defend the false doctrine of Mary’s perpetual virginity by calling these men and their sisters Jesus’ cousins.  However, the Bible uses the word “cousin” to describe near, non-sibling blood relations (Lk 1:36, 58).  No, these are Jesus’ brothers and sisters.  According to Jn 2:16-17 and Ps 69:8-9, these brothers and sisters identified in Mk 6:3 were Jesus’ “mother’s children.”  Paul mentions James, the Lord’s brother, in Gal 1:19.

Some people teach that Mary is actually a co-mediatrix or co-redemptrix with Jesus Christ.  In other words, they teach that you can go through her to get to God.  That doctrine directly contradicts 1 Tim 2:5 and Jn 14:6.  1 Tim 2:5 says, “For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.”  You see, there is only ONE mediator; there are not two.  Jn 14:6 says, “Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.”  The only way to God is by Jesus Christ, not Mary.

To worship or pray to Mary is wrong.  Mary can’t intercede for you; only Jesus and the Holy Spirit do that (Rom 8:26; Rom 8:34; Heb 7:25).  Mary can’t answer your prayers, only God and Jesus do that (Jn 15:16; Jn 14:13-14).  Mary can’t save you, only Jesus can do that (Acts 16:31; Acts 4:12; Rom 10:9-10).

So, whatever you do, don’t pray to Mary.  Don’t worship Mary.  Those practices are the tradition and false doctrine of a church.  They are a violation of God’s commands and are clearly contradictory to the doctrine of the Bible.