Today, I want to emphasize a few key truths made clear in Scripture, demonstrating why Scripture alone—God's unchanging Word—is the ultimate authority. In contrast to the Roman Catholic Church's ever-evolving doctrines, which often lack a scriptural foundation, God remains constant and unchanging (Malachi 3:6). With that said, let’s dive into today’s topics. Let me also remind you that the Word of God becomes clear and meaningful when infilled by the Holy Spirit, as Scripture says: the Holy Spirit will lead us into all truth.
Let’s begin by examining 1 Corinthians 15:1-4, which clearly presents the Gospel of Grace—the good news by which sinners are saved. It declares that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, was buried, and rose again on the third day. This truth is the foundation of our faith and salvation. Without Christ's sacrificial death and victorious resurrection, all preaching and faith would be meaningless.
Now, let’s consider what Paul emphasizes further in 1 Corinthians 15:13-18. He explains that if Christ had not been resurrected, our faith would be futile, and we would still be in our sins. This underscores that Christ's resurrection is proof of His victory over sin and death. It confirms the sufficiency of His sacrifice for all time and His position as our eternal mediator.
When the Roman Catholic Church teaches that Christ's sacrifice must be continually re-presented or perpetuated through the Mass, it contradicts this foundational truth. If Christ's sacrifice were incomplete or ongoing, it would imply that His death was insufficient to fully atone for our sins. But this is not the case—Scripture is clear that Christ's work is finished.
Why is it called the "Good News" if Christ’s work wasn’t finished? The very essence of the Gospel—the Good News—is that Jesus Christ accomplished everything necessary for the salvation of sinners through His death, burial, and resurrection. His final words on the cross, “It is finished” (John 19:30), proclaim the completion of His redemptive work. The debt of sin was fully paid, and reconciliation with God was secured for all who believe in Him. If Christ's work were incomplete or dependent on human effort, it would cease to be truly "good news" and instead become a message of uncertainty and despair.
What the Roman Catholic Church teaches—that Christ's sacrifice must be continually re-presented in the Mass and that salvation involves a cooperative effort between God and the sinner—diminishes the sufficiency of Christ's finished work. Essentially, it turns the Good News into "almost good news," implying that Christ's death and resurrection were not enough and that sinners must contribute their own effort to be saved.
Essentially, this implies that we are still burdened by sin, which raises the question: what was the purpose of His Divine sacrifice?
Let’s take a closer look at 1 Corinthians 15:18-21, which challenges the Roman Catholic Church’s teaching that saints are currently in Heaven interceding on our behalf. This passage explicitly states that the dead are "asleep" and that Christ’s resurrection is the key to our hope of eternal life.
Paul emphasizes that if Christ had not been raised from the dead, those who have “fallen asleep in Christ” are lost. The term "asleep" is often used in Scripture to describe the state of the dead—meaning they are not conscious or active, but resting in anticipation of the resurrection. Paul goes on to explain that Christ is the "firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep." This metaphor means that Christ’s resurrection is the first and most important event, guaranteeing the future resurrection of all believers. Just as the firstfruits of a harvest signify the rest of the crop to come, Christ’s resurrection is the promise that all who belong to Him will be raised at His second coming.
This directly contradicts the idea that saints or Mary are in Heaven now, hearing prayers or mediating on our behalf. The dead in Christ are asleep, awaiting the resurrection at His return. They are not conscious, active, or able to intercede.
Additionally, Paul consistently teaches that Christ is the only mediator between God and humanity. In 1 Timothy 2:5, because the dead are asleep and awaiting resurrection, no one else—neither Mary, nor the saints, nor any other figure—can intercede for us. Prayers directed to anyone other than Christ are therefore misdirected, as Christ alone has the authority and power to mediate on our behalf.
The Bible consistently describes death as a sleep for believers, awaiting the resurrection. For example, 1 Thessalonians 4:13-14 says, “But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.” This “sleep” is a reference to the state of the body after death, where the body rests in the grave until the resurrection.
Moreover, John 11:11-14 describes the death of Lazarus as “sleep,” indicating that death for a believer is not the end but a temporary state until the return of Christ.
Why is this important? It emphasizes that it is the Holy Spirit of God—not any external ritual—that unites believers with Christ's resurrection. The Holy Spirit is the active agent who raises us to new life in Christ, both spiritually in the present and physically in the future resurrection. This union is a divine, internal transformation, something no external water ritual could ever accomplish.
Scripture is clear on this point. Romans 8:11 states, “If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you.” The Holy Spirit dwells within believers and is the sole means by which we are connected to Christ’s resurrection power. Through the Spirit, believers are spiritually resurrected in this life and guaranteed their future physical resurrection at Christ’s return.
Nowhere in the Bible is water baptism presented as the mechanism for this resurrection. How could an external, physical act—performed by human hands—possibly achieve something as profound and Divine as uniting us with Christ in His resurrection? John 6:63 makes it plain: “It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing.” Salvation and resurrection are entirely spiritual acts, initiated and completed by God, not by human rituals or efforts.
The Roman Catholic Church’s teaching that water baptism is necessary for salvation contradicts this core biblical truth. By elevating a physical ritual to the level of a salvific requirement, they diminish the role of the Holy Spirit and the sufficiency of Christ’s work. Baptism with water is an outward symbol of an inward reality, not the means by which salvation or resurrection is achieved.
This also ties directly to the false doctrines surrounding saints and Mary in Catholic theology. The Church teaches that saints are in Heaven, actively interceding for the living, and that Mary was bodily assumed into Heaven. However, Scripture contradicts these claims. 1 Corinthians 15:18-21 clearly states that the dead in Christ are "asleep," awaiting resurrection. They are not conscious or active until the second coming of Christ, when the dead will rise. This includes Mary, who, like all believers, was saved through Christ and awaits the resurrection alongside the rest of the faithful.
If Mary and the saints are asleep, as Scripture teaches, they cannot hear prayers or mediate on behalf of the living. Christ alone is our mediator (1 Timothy 2:5) because He is the only one who conquered death, rose again, and now intercedes for us at the right hand of God (Hebrews 7:25). The Holy Spirit ensures our connection to this hope, uniting us with Christ and securing our resurrection.
Since Mary and the saints, like all the dead, are asleep, this completely invalidates the concept of the Treasury of Merit. How can anyone draw upon or receive merit from those who are unconscious, having returned to the earth as dust, awaiting the resurrection at the second coming of Christ? This notion contradicts both the biblical teaching of the state of the dead and the reality of human mortality.
By promoting doctrines like water baptism as salvific, the veneration of saints, and the assumption of Mary, the Catholic Church diverts attention from the transformative work of the Holy Spirit and the sufficiency of Christ’s atoning death and resurrection. These teachings are not only unsupported by Scripture but also undermine the simplicity and power of the Gospel: that it is faith in Christ alone and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit that secure our salvation and resurrection.
This is why Scripture alone is our safeguard, protecting us from the deceptive lies propagated by sinful humans.
Without the false doctrine of the Assumption of Mary, no one would venerate her as the "Queen of Heaven." This is a significant issue because the title "Queen of Heaven" is deeply rooted in ancient paganism. Historically, the original "Queen of Heaven" was Isis, a goddess worshipped in ancient Egypt and later adopted into Roman pagan practices. In pagan Rome, temples dedicated to Isis-Urania (a syncretic form of Isis associated with the heavens) were prominent, further illustrating how pagan beliefs influenced later traditions.
The Catholic Church’s elevation of Mary to this title not only lacks scriptural support but also reflects a direct borrowing from these pagan practices. In Scripture, the title "Queen of Heaven" is explicitly condemned. Jeremiah 7:18 rebukes the Israelites for worshipping the Queen of Heaven, a pagan goddess (demon) who demanded offerings and veneration. This pagan worship provoked God’s anger, as it was a form of idolatry that led His people astray.
By ascribing the same title to Mary, the Catholic Church perpetuates a tradition that contradicts biblical teaching. Mary, though a faithful servant of God and the mother of Jesus, is not Divine, nor is she exalted to a heavenly throne. She is a human being who, like all believers, awaits the resurrection. The doctrine of her Assumption, which claims she was taken bodily into Heaven, is entirely absent from Scripture and was only formally declared a dogma by the Catholic Church in 1950. This late addition to Church teaching reflects its basis in tradition rather than biblical truth.
Many claim that the "Blessed" Virgin Mary was highly favoured and sinless, asserting that only a sinless woman could give birth to a sinless child and that God preserved her from sin. However, this idea is not supported by Scripture. Mary being "blessed" or "highly favored" does not equate to sinlessness. In fact, other women in the Bible are also referred to as blessed by God without any indication of being sinless.
For example:
Sarah, the wife of Abraham, was blessed by God, as stated in Genesis 17:16, where God promises to bless her and make her the mother of nations. Sarah herself acknowledged God’s blessing in her life.
Ruth, known for her faith and loyalty, was blessed in Ruth 2:12 by Boaz, who prayed that the Lord would richly reward her for her trust in Him.
Esther, through her courage and obedience, was considered blessed for her role in saving the Jewish people (Esther 4:14).
These examples show that being highly favored or blessed by God does not imply sinlessness. Mary, though chosen for the extraordinary privilege of bearing the Messiah, was no exception. She herself acknowledged her need for a Savior in Luke 1:47, saying, “And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Savior.”
The Roman Catholic Church has perpetuated the idea of Mary’s sinlessness to support their doctrine of her being the "Queen of Heaven." This title, as discussed earlier, is rooted in pagan traditions rather than Scripture. By attributing sinlessness to Mary, the Church elevated her to a Divine-like status, reinforcing the false narrative that she is worthy of veneration and intercession. However, the Bible provides no evidence for such claims. Mary was a faithful servant of God, but she was human and shared in the same need for redemption as all of humanity.
The Worship of Isis-Urania in Pagan Rome:
In the rich tapestry of pagan Rome, the goddess Isis-Urania held a prominent place as a deity revered for her cosmic power, universal influence, and protective nature. This figure was a syncretic blend of the Egyptian goddess Isis and the Hellenistic concept of Urania, associated with the heavens and the cosmos. Through this fusion, Isis-Urania became a significant figure in Roman religious life, symbolizing motherhood, fertility, magic, and the divine order of the universe.
Temples dedicated to Isis sprang up across the Roman Empire, from Alexandria to Pompeii (which was destroyed) and even in the heart of Rome itself. These temples served as centers for elaborate rituals and ceremonies honouring her. Devotees, led by priests and priestesses, conducted daily rituals that included offerings of flowers, incense, and food. Isis was seen as a compassionate and powerful protector, and prayers for her intercession were directed toward healing, blessings, and protection in both personal and communal matters.
A prominent aspect of Isis worship in Rome was its integration with mystery cults, which offered initiates secretive rites symbolizing death and rebirth. These rituals drew directly from the myth of Isis resurrecting her husband, Osiris (associated in some traditions with Dionysus, from whom the practice of consuming wine as his essence and bread as his flesh originates). This myth of overcoming death deeply resonated with adherents, offering a powerful narrative of hope and the promise of eternal life. The mystery rites of Isis provided spiritual refuge and meaning, particularly for marginalized groups such as women, slaves, and the poor, who found in these practices a personal connection to the divine and a vision of salvation..
Annual festivals, such as the Navigium Isidis or "Ship of Isis," further cemented her role in Roman life. This celebration, which honored Isis as the goddess of the sea and navigation, featured grand processions, music, and symbolic offerings intended to ensure safe travel and prosperous trade. These public ceremonies highlighted the widespread influence of her worship, which crossed class and regional boundaries, uniting diverse groups in devotion.
Interestingly, the Catholic Church later adopted similar maritime symbolism for Mary, referring to her as Stella Maris, or "Star of the Sea," a title that parallels the attributes once associated with Isis in her role as a protector of sailors and travelers.
Isis-Urania was often depicted in art and iconography with celestial motifs, such as a starry crown or surrounded by cosmic imagery, emphasizing her role as a goddess of the heavens. She bore the title "Queen of Heaven," a name that underscored her universal and cosmic significance. This title, which had earlier connections to the Babylonian goddess Ishtar, linked Isis to a broader tradition of goddesses associated with the skies and the divine feminine.
Her influence extended so deeply into Roman culture that elements of her worship subtly persisted even as Christianity began to rise, with some attributing aspects of the Virgin Mary’s veneration to remnants of Isis’s legacy.
In pagan Rome, the worship of Isis-Urania became a powerful and unifying force, offering spiritual hope, protection, and a connection to the divine. Her temples and rituals, her cosmic symbolism, and the promise of eternal life she represented made her a beloved and enduring figure in ancient religious practices. Her legacy is a fascinating example of how religious traditions evolve and adapt, blending cultural and spiritual influences into something that endures across time and place.
Isis, revered as the goddess of magic in ancient Egyptian mythology, is deeply tied to the practices of sorcery and occultism that the Bible strongly condemns. Her mythology centers on her mastery of supernatural powers, which she used to resurrect her husband Osiris after his death and dismemberment by Set. This act of magical manipulation elevated her as the ultimate practitioner of divine and earthly sorcery, cementing her status as the goddess of enchantment, spells, and mystical knowledge.
The Bible warns against such practices in Revelation 18:23, which declares, "For by thy sorceries were all nations deceived." While this verse specifically addresses Babylon, it encapsulates the spiritual deception and idolatry perpetuated by pagan systems like the worship of Isis. The cult of Isis, particularly as it evolved in Greco-Roman times, spread across nations and drew people into rites and practices that blended occult magic, mysticism, and false promises of salvation. Her worship, centered on secretive rites and invocations, mirrors the very sorceries condemned in Revelation—a deliberate manipulation of spiritual forces to deceive and control.
The influence of Isis as the goddess of magic cannot be overstated. Her mystery cults promised eternal life, healing, and divine favor, luring countless people into spiritual bondage under the guise of enlightenment and salvation. This deception aligns directly with the warning in Revelation, where sorcery is not just the practice of magic but a tool of widespread spiritual corruption. By tying people to idolatry and false worship, these sorceries draw them away from the one true God.
Anyway, I’ve digressed far too much, so let’s return to Scripture. The Bible clearly states that the dead will rise at the return of Christ. In 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17, it is written that those who have passed away in faith will rise first. Similarly, John 5:28-29 explains that all who have died will rise together at the call of Christ. This passage distinguishes two types of resurrection: the resurrection of life, for those who have faith in Christ, and the resurrection of judgment, for those who have rejected Him.
Furthermore, the Bible clearly teaches that this resurrection will be a singular event for both believers and unbelievers. In 1 Corinthians 15:35-36, Paul explains that a body must die first before it can be resurrected in a new and transformed form. This emphasizes the necessity of transformation, as the resurrection body will be different from the earthly body—glorified and fit for eternity. This transformation highlights the hope and promise of eternal life for those in Christ and serves as a contrast to the judgment awaiting those who reject Him.
Additionally, as stated in Hebrews 9:27 “And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment.” Notice that Scripture makes no mention of purgatory. The concept of purgatory does not align with the biblical account of resurrection and judgment after death, which I will address in more detail shortly.
The Roman Catholic Church teaches that purgatory is a state of purification for souls who have died in God’s grace but are not yet fully cleansed of the effects of their sins. These souls, while assured of eternal salvation, must undergo a process of spiritual purification to achieve the holiness required to enter Heaven. The Church emphasizes that nothing unclean can stand in the presence of God, referencing passages such as Revelation 21:27, and believes that even forgiven sins can leave residual effects or temporal punishments that need to be resolved.
Purgatory is not described as a physical place but rather as a state or process in which souls are purified. Unlike Hell, which is eternal separation from God, purgatory is temporary and always leads to Heaven. The Church often describes this purification as painful, likening it to a cleansing fire; however, this fire is generally understood metaphorically, representing the purifying nature of God’s love and justice.
The Catholic Church teaches that purification in purgatory is necessary because, while mortal sins separate a person from God eternally, venial sins or the temporal consequences of forgiven sins still need to be addressed. Purgatory is seen as an act of divine mercy, allowing souls to be cleansed of any attachment to sin or lingering guilt. The process reflects the Church’s belief in the interconnectedness of the faithful: the living can assist souls in purgatory through prayers, indulgences, and the offering of Masses. This intercessory practice is often linked to passages such as 2 Maccabees 12:46, which speaks of making atonement for the dead so they may be freed from their sins.
Ultimately, the goal of purgatory is to prepare souls for the beatific vision, the direct and eternal communion with God in Heaven.
Now here is where it gets truly interesting. The Bible consistently teaches that human beings are a unified creation of body and soul, not separate or independent entities. This is made clear in Genesis 2:7, where God created man by forming his body from the dust of the ground and breathing into his nostrils the breath of life, at which point man became a living soul. The soul, therefore, is not some disembodied, ethereal essence of a person; rather, it is the complete person—the union of both spiritual and physical elements.
This biblical understanding emphasizes that the soul cannot exist or function independently of the body. Salvation, sanctification, and redemption apply to the entire person, both body and soul, because they are inseparably united in life. Consequently, any process of purification must involve the whole person, not just a disembodied soul. However, the Catholic doctrine of purgatory contradicts this foundational truth by suggesting that the soul alone undergoes purification after death, apart from the body. This idea diverges from the biblical teaching that humanity is a holistic unity.
The Bible also clearly states that, after death, the body returns to dust (Genesis 3:19) and the dead are asleep until the second coming of Christ (1 Thessalonians 4:13-17; John 5:28-29). If the dead are in a state of sleep, waiting for resurrection, and if the soul and body are not separate entities, how could the soul be sent to a different place, such as purgatory, for purification while the body decays in the grave? It cannot. The soul does not operate independently of the body; both await the resurrection together.
This disconnect between the biblical view of human nature and the doctrine of purgatory points to a deeper issue: the origins of purgatory’s concept. Its foundations are not found in Scripture but in syncretism with pagan religious practices.
In many ancient pagan traditions, including those surrounding the worship of fertility goddesses like Isis or other so-called deities, there is a belief in the soul’s continued journey or purification after death, separate from the body. These beliefs were absorbed and repackaged into Catholic doctrine, cloaked in a veneer of Christian language, but fundamentally rooted in paganism.
I hope this helps bring clarity to a few things. Wishing you all of God’s blessings. Repent and believe in the Gospel. Open your eyes to the lies being fed to humanity and break free from the curse.
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