Christ is the Foundation
Colossians 2:6–7 (AV) 6 As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him: 7 Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving.
The scriptures tell us to continue in Christ the same way that we came to him. How were we saved? “For 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). Christians are saved because of God’s grace and we receive that grace by faith. Even the faith that we used to come to God was given to us by God. Therefore, we conclude that we continue in Christ totally dependent on God. Paul is addressing the Colossian church; this church was under attack by various false teachings that were designed to “supplement” Christ and divert from the sufficiency that is found in our Lord.
Not Me and Mom
Christ is the foundation and the root of our entire Christian existence, and disciples of Christ must not allow other things to either replace Christ as our foundation or supplement him as the source of our salvation. Romans Catholics do this by adding Mary to their foundation. Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” He did not say, “Me and mom are the way, the truth and the life.”
“Paragraph 6. MARY – MOTHER OF CHRIST, MOTHER OF THE CHURCH 963 Since the Virgin Mary’s role in the mystery of Christ and the Spirit has been treated, it is fitting now to consider her place in the mystery of the Church. ‘The Virgin Mary . . . is acknowledged and honored as being truly the Mother of God and of the redeemer…. She is ‘clearly the mother of the members of Christ’ … since she has by her charity joined in bringing about the birth of believers in the Church, who are members of its head.’ ‘Mary, Mother of Christ, Mother of the Church.’” (Catechism of the Catholic Church ).
Mary is not the mother of God, and she is not the mother of the church. Mary was the vessel that God used to give birth to our Lord. She was not without sin, and she did not remain a virgin. Also, she has nothing to do with our “born again” experience. These types of beliefs are assaults on the foundation of the Christian faith, Jesus Christ.
Mary is not your Mother
Colossians 2:8–10 (AV) 8 Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. 9 For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. 10 And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power:
We are complete in Christ, and all of God is in Christ. Christians do not have to add “anything” to Christ to experience the totality of God. If you are in Christ, you have all of God. We do not need Mary to experience the fullness of God.
“968 Her role in relation to the Church and to all humanity goes still further. ‘In a wholly singular way she cooperated by her obedience, faith, hope, and burning charity in the Savior’s work of restoring supernatural life to souls. For this reason she is a mother to us in the order of grace.’” (Catechism of the Catholic Church ).
Mary was not sinless, and she did not help to birth the church. “And Mary said, My soul doth magnify the Lord, And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour” (Luke 1:46-47). A sinless person does not need a savior. Mary acknowledged her need for salvation because she understood that she was a sinner. The church of Jesus Christ was birthed by God’s Spirit, Mary had nothing to do with it. It is blasphemous to attribute a work of God’s grace, even partially, to a sinful human being. In Christ, you do not have a mother, you have a heavenly Father.
It would not be wise to claim that most Roman Catholics are not saved. But when some of the core teachings of the Roman Catholic church are compared with scripture, it is clear that these teachings are demonic and pagan in origin. Christ is enough, and to go beyond the simplicity of the gospel is to embrace falsehood and heresy.
Scripture References
Acts 4:7–12 (AV) 7 And when they had set them in the midst, they asked, By what power, or by what name, have ye done this? 8 Then Peter, filled with the Holy Ghost, said unto them, Ye rulers of the people, and elders of Israel, 9 If we this day be examined of the good deed done to the impotent man, by what means he is made whole; 10 Be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by him doth this man stand here before you whole. 11 This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which is become the head of the corner. 12 Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.
John 14:6 (AV) 6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
Romans 10:8–10 (AV) 8 But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach; 9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. 10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
1 Corinthians 15:3–4 (AV) 3 For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; 4 And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:
Galatians 1:6–9 (AV) 6 I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel: 7 Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ. 8 But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. 9 As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.
John 3:14–18 (AV) 14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: 15 That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. 16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. 17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. 18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
Other Resources
https://www.gty.org/library/articles/A190/is-roman-catholicism-biblical
https://www.gracechurch.org/about/distinctives/roman-catholicism
https://carm.org/reasons-why-apocrypha-does-not-belong-bible
https://www.cai.org/bible-studies/romes-heretical-inventions
Grace and Faith Ministries 