Chapter 13: One Mediator

Chapter 13: One Mediator An infinite chasm separates the Holy God from sinful man. Left to our own resources we could never reach Him who dwells in the highest heaven, but praise be to God who Himself opened a way that reaches from heaven to earth. God’s bridge is His Son, Jesus Christ, who brings lost sinners back to the Almighty God. “For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself a ransom for all.”219 With the Word of God open before us, we can answer the following crucial questions:

Question: How many mediators are there between God and man? Answer: There is one Mediator.

Question: Who is this Mediator? Answer: Jesus Christ.

Question: Why is He alone the Mediator?

Answer: Because He gave Himself a ransom for all.

Nothing complicated here. There is one Mediator. In spite of Scripture’s plain language, the Catholic Church maintains that Mary fulfils a role as “mediatrix” too. In the Catechism we read: “Taken up to heaven she did not lay aside this saving office but by her manifold intercession continues to bring us the gifts of eternal salvation... Therefore the Blessed Virgin is invoked in the Church under the titles of Advocate, Helper, Benefactress, and Mediatrix.” 220 She is even called “the Mediatrix of all graces.”221 Sadly this doctrine is a departure from the plain teaching of God’s Word: there is one mediator, Jesus, and not Mary or anybody else.

Other Mediators?

During the marriage at Cana, as soon as Mary came to know about the lack of wine, she approached the Lord and informed Him of the need. During Christ’s public ministry, the disciples and the Jewish people often came to Him, making various requests. In the same way, Christians pray to the Lord for each other’s needs. However, when we pray for each other we do not become mediators. Jesus alone is mediator because He alone gave himself on the cross as a ransom, paying the price for the liberty of His people (“one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself a ransom for all”).

It is sometimes argued, “Why can’t we ask Mary to intercede for us, just as we ask fellow believers to pray for us?” An honest Catholic knows that praying to Mary or the saints is completely different than asking a fellow believer for prayer.

Suppose a Christian brother comes and kneels before you, imploring you with great devotion to pray for him. Would you allow him? How would you react if he calls you his advocate, his hope and refuge? What if he thanks you for the many graces you conferred on him and for delivering him from hell? Suppose he tells you that he confines his salvation to your care and pleads with you to stay with him until you see him safe in heaven? Does that sound like asking a fellow believer to pray for you? Of course not! That kind of prayer and confidence is nothing less than divine worship and it should be directed only to the Lord Jesus Christ. And yet that is exactly the kind of prayer that Catholics offer to Mary and the saints.222

Besides, Scripture teaches us to pray for one another as long as we are still alive. There is no communication between living Christians on earth and the dead saints, whose souls are in heaven. Invoking the departed is a practice of the occult, not Christianity. “Should not a people seek their God? Should they seek the dead on behalf of the living?”223 Mary and the saints in heaven are unable to hear the prayers of thousands of people simultaneously. Only the omniscient God can hear the prayers of all His children for He “alone know the hearts of all the sons of men.”224 To whom should we pray? To Mary and the saints, or to God only? Our Master, Jesus Christ, instructed us to pray to “Our Father in heaven.” The true disciples of Jesus obey Him and pray to God. In Acts 1:14 Mary was praying with the first disciples to the Lord. We should not pray to Mary but rather should pray like Mary, addressing our prayers to the Lord. The Hour of Death In the Rosary, devout Catholics pray to Mary: “Pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death.” This form of prayer witnesses to their confidence in Mary. “We give ourselves over to her now, in the Today of our lives, and our trust broadens further, already at the present moment, to surrender "the hour of our death" wholly to her care.”225 In whom does God want us to trust and hope? The Bible says, “Those who know Your name will put their trust in You; for You, LORD, have not forsaken those who seek You.” “Blessed are all those who put their trust in Him.” At his martyrdom, Stephen entrusted himself to his Lord and Saviour. “They stoned Stephen as he was calling on God and saying, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit."” The Good Shepherd has never, and will never, lose one of His sheep. He promised: “I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand.”226 Why then don’t you trust Him?

Come to Me

I still remember the teacher explaining to class why we should pray to Mary. “Jesus is the Judge and we fear Him, while Mary is our merciful mother. So we go to her with all our needs. Then she tells her Son, and He gives us whatever she asks.” Such reasoning is easy to follow but is completely misleading. I thank God for my mother’s love, tenderness and care because she is a reflection of Him who made her. Why then should we suppose that God is somewhat indifferent or reserved in mercy? If a mother is loving and kind, God is infinitely more so. Mary herself praises God whose “mercy is on those who fear Him from generation to generation.”227 Undoubtedly, God is holy and righteous, and has every reason to show His displeasure against the sinner. But the same God “so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.”228 Can you imagine a greater love than this?

Why do you linger? Why don’t you approach the Lord Jesus directly? Did Jesus ever forbid anyone from coming to Him? The disciples hindered the little children, but He rebuked them, saying, “Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them.”229 The demoniac was rejected and feared by everybody; Jesus gave him liberty. The crowd rebuked the blind man and ordered him to be silent; Jesus heard him and restored his sight. Society put lepers in a separate colony; Jesus touched them and healed them. The people were ready to stone the adulteress; Jesus had compassion on her and forgave her. To the thief nailed beside Him, Jesus obtained a place for him in His kingdom. Do you think, then, my friend, that the Lord Jesus will reject you if you turn to Him by faith? Listen to His wonderful promise: “All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will by no means cast out.” His invitation is just as bright: “Come to Me, all you who labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”230 The Name Above Every Name

Contrary to Scriptural doctrine, the Catholic religion has spawned a rivalry between the Lord Jesus and Mary. Christ was conceived without sin, gave His life as a ransom for many, and subsequently was exalted into the glory of heaven, where He is presently reigning and interceding for His own. Throughout the centuries, the Catholic Church developed a strange teaching to the effect that Mary too was conceived without sin, has a vital part to play in the redemption of mankind, was assumed into heaven, crowned queen of heaven and ordained as mediatrix. In the Litany, Mary is invoked with a number of titles: gate of heaven, morning- star, refuge of sinners, comfort of the afflicted, help of Christians, but it is noteworthy how Scripture never accords any of these appellations to Mary. On the contrary, such titles are only descriptive of the Lord Jesus. He alone is the door; He, and none other, is called the morning-star; Scripture says that the Lord is the refuge, the help and comfort of all Christians.231 In 1950, pope Pius XII proclaimed the Assumption as a dogma of faith. Yet in all Scripture there is not even one hint of this doctrine. By contrast, much emphasis is laid upon the death, the resurrection and the ascension of the Lord Jesus into heaven. After humbling Himself unto the death of the cross, it was the Father’s will to have His eternal Son exalted and lifted up above all the heavens.

“Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”232

All give honour to Jesus Christ; many do so willingly, but even His enemies must worship Christ. Even now, the spirits of the redeemed in heaven, including Mary, countless numbers of angels, and millions of Christians in the world, worship and adore the Lord Jesus Christ. We should do the same. To whom are you praying? In whom are you trusting? Whom do you love with all your heart? To whom do you say: Totus Tuus – I am all yours? The children of God answer uncompromisingly: “For to me, to live is Christ.”233 My Saviour

What will be your choice in the light of God’s Word? Perhaps you will answer: “I trust in the name of Jesus and in the name of Mary for my salvation.” But how can you call on the name of Mary since the Scripture plainly states that “there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved”?234

Perhaps, by God’s grace, you will answer: “Like Mary and all other Christians, I trust in the name of the Lord alone for my salvation, for it is written that "whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved."”235

Then with Mary and all the redeemed you will be able to sing: “My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit has rejoiced in God my Saviour.”236