Expert: Dr. Jay Forrest - 6/16/2008

Question
QUESTION: Do you worship Mary like the catholics?
Do you pray to statues like the catholics?

ANSWER: Hi James,

Although I respect Mary and believe she was a wonderful example for women, I do not worship her. I may ask her to intercede for me, but I do not petition her for the things only God can give.

I don't own any statues. I do have an icon of Christ, but I don't pray to it. Like the cross, an icon is a symbol that reminds us of heavenly things. A statues can serve the same purpose.

Although I go to an Old Catholic Church, I am personally ecumenical in orientation. So many churches think that they are the only right ones. I don't believe that there is any such church. All churches are a mixture of right and wrong. There is no perfect church.

I have been blessed by being involved in Protestant, Catholic, and Orthodox churches. Each have taught me something and helped me in my own journey of faith. I have learned to respect where each person is on their walk with God. Ultimately, it is not your relationship to an institution that matters, its your relationship to God.

Follow your own path, but respect other peoples path as well. It will not be like yours, but that is OK. God doesn't need us to direct other's journey, we should concentrate on our own.

Grace and peace to you in Christ,

Jay Nelson Forrest
http://www.MysticSecretsoftheBible.com

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: How can you ask Mary to intercede for you? Jesus is the only mediator. If you are going to ask Mary to intercede for you then you are replacing Jesus the only mediator. Mary is the blessed  virgin woman that gave birth to Jesus with the help of God. She is just a human. Jesus is the only mediator. He is the only one that can intercede for us. I'm a true Christian Mystic and I don't ask Mary to intercede for me because I know that Jesus is the only one that can intercede.

Answer
Hi James,

How can you ask your pastor to intercede for you? Jesus is the only mediator. If you are going to ask your pastor to intercede for you then you are replacing Jesus the only mediator. Your pastor is just a human. Jesus is the only mediator. He is the only one that can intercede for us.

The Bible is very clear that we can and should intercede for one another. "Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men" (1 Timothy 2:1). Now if intercessions are to "be made for all men" then according to the Bible Jesus is NOT the only one that can intercede.

Yes Jesus is the only mediator or go-between of the covenant of grace. But when I pray for someone, I am praying to the Father in the name of Jesus by the power of the Holy Spirit. In heaven the same must be true. All intercession is directed through Jesus Christ to the Father. So Mary prays to God the Father through the mediation of Jesus Christ.

What do you think people in heaven do? I think they pray - pray for us and for our salvation. "Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us" (Hebrews 12:1).

If you are comfortable asking believers on earth for prayer, but are uncomfortable asking believers in heaven for prayer, then don't. As John Trigilio and Kenneth Brighenti explain i their book Catholicism for Dummies, "The answer is that Catholics never have to pray to any saint. They can always go directly to God. Catholicism doesn't say that saintly intercession is necessary or mandatory, but it's possible."

May God bless you and keep you in His grace,

Jay Nelson Forrest
htt[://www.MysticSecretsoftheBible.com