For if he who comes preaches another Jesus whom we have not preached, or if you receive a different spirit which you have not received, or a different gospel which you have not accepted—you may well put up with it!  2 Corinthians 11:4

Usurper: “a person who takes a position of power or importance illegally or by force.” 

antichrists 

Antiochus IV Epiphanes, from the Book of Daniel, was a type of antichrist. Historically, he took his power illegally – he was not heir to the throne. Scholars agree that these traits of Antiochus (Daniel 8) will be like those in the very last antichrist in the book of Revelation.  This deceitful antichrist will delude the populace. He will then proclaim that he is God. (Matthew 24) This is ultimately “another Jesus”, proclaiming himself to be the Messiah. He will be a usurper. (2 Corinthians 11:3-4)

“Another Mary”

However, I would like to point out that there is also “another Mary” – a “fake Mary”.  

The real, true Miriam* is the mother of the Lord. Miriam’s humble heart can be discerned in the beautiful expression of praise to her Savior and God, commonly called “the Magnificat”. (Luke 1:47) 

* “Miriam” is more true to the original name, as is “Yeshua” for “Jesus”.  For clarity, I usually employ “Miriam” and “Yeshua” for the real, true ones.

This humble handmaiden is NOT the same “queen of heaven” who has been appearing in visions to foolish people who don’t know the Scriptures. This “queen” has had medals made of herself! This “queen” has had shrines built to her! This “queen” has a a rosary, a pagan item, with repetitions of over 50 “Hail Mary’s” against the commandment of the LORD Jesus (Matthew 6:7)!  Is this not heretical?  These supernatural visions are NOT from the LORD. These are phonies!

“Queen of heaven” is an idol in Jeremiah 44:19-23.

And no wonder! For Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light. 2 Corinthians 11:14

Now this “fake Mary” claims titles that are not her own!  She is a usurper!  She claims to have titles that belong to our LORD! 

Yeshua is our Advocate, not Mary. 

Yeshua is the Mediator, not Mary.

Yeshua is the Redeemer, but Mary is not the Co-Redemptrix.

This last would have been known as the Fifth Marian Dogma, but thankfully, the popes didn’t agree. Even Pope Francis said to think of Mary as Co-Redemptrix was “foolishness”!  It does cause misunderstanding.  

However, these, and others, are the Scriptures that support the LORD’S claim to these titles:

YESHUA, OUR ADVOCATE

My little children, these things I write to you, so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.  (1 John 2:1)

The Holy Spirit is also called the Advocate (John 14:26) but the Holy Spirit IS the Spirit of Christ (1 Peter 1:11)!  See The Light and the LIFE for a better explanation.

These are the Words of Christ:

But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have told you. (John 14:26 BSB)

YESHUA, OUR MEDIATOR 

Yeshua is the Mediator, not Mary who idolators call “the Mediatrix of All Graces”.

And for this reason He [Yeshua] is the Mediator of the new covenant, by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions under the first covenant, that those who are called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance. Hebrews 9:15

For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; 1 Timothy 2:5

YESHUA, OUR REDEEMER

Yeshua is referred to in the Hebrew Bible (Old Testament) in the Book of Isaiah as “Redeemer”:

Thus says the LORD, your Redeemer, The Holy One of Israel… Isaiah 43:14 (also, 44:24)

Over and over in the New Testament, it is Christ who redeems us!

knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers,  1 Peter 1:18

Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law…. Galatians 3:13a 

MISLEADING DOGMAS

The latter three Marian Dogmas of Roman Catholicism have no basis in Scripture, but they are considered heresy** in the RCC if you don’t believe them. (Orthodoxy may have some similar dogmas, also.) 

Before these dogmas were deemed as official, in 330AD, Constantinople was dedicated to the Virgin Mary under Constantine. At the First [Second ecumenically] Council of Constantinople in 381, her perpetual virginity” was claimed. (It was not all the bishops who came to these councils!*) Maybe this was the dawn of the formal idolatry of Mary.

First Dogma – “Theotokos” at Third Ecumenical Council held at Ephesus in 431AD.

As a Christian, I have always believed in the hypostatic or mystical union of Christ, “fully God, fully man”. Miriam is the “mother of Christ” (Christokos), of the human side of Yeshua the Messiah, but she is also “Theotokos” which means “Who gave birth to one who was God”. However, “Mother of God”, as it is usually translated in English, could mislead people to think that God had a beginning! There is also no record of the very first Christians (apostles and Miriam) calling her “Theotokos”. It has been said, though, “mother of my Lord”.

LUKE 1:43 But why is this granted to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?

However, this term “Theotokos” has led to error as it seemed to elevate Mary to somewhat of a goddess! Many pictures in even the Orthodox churches have Mary towering over Yeshua, as if she had preeminence.

This is a hymn to Mary from the 3rd or 4th century. Is this not heretical?

“Beneath your compassion,
We take refuge, O Theotokos [God-bearer]:
do not despise our petitions in time of trouble:
but rescue us from dangers,
only pure, only blessed one.”

God is our refuge. God alone answers petitions brought before Him!

“Only pure, only blessed one”? God is also pure and He commands us to be holy, also!

because it is written, “Be holy, for I am holy.” 1 Peter 1:16

This is how the devil, who twists and lies, would draw people into paganism and the cult of the Virgin Mary! Maybe this is why the Ephesian church lost their “first love”, being devoted to Miriam, but that dedication could turn into loving Miriam more than the LORD! Miriam was believed to have lived in Ephesus with St. John. The Ephesians might have replaced the goddess Artemis/Diana with their latest idol – Miriam! A statue of the many-breasted Artemis/Diana is in the Vatican Museum. As Christians, we should not hold on to these idolatrous statues!

Pray that you will not replace your devotion to the LORD with this “fake Mary” and so have your lampstand removed! (Revelation 2:1-7) The LORD YHWH, the Great I AM, alone is worthy of worship!

Second – “Perpetual virginity of Mary” was claimed at Council of Ephesus 431; also, Pope Martin I at the Lateran Council of 649. However, this belief arose at the end of the 2nd century among the ascetic circles who thought it too sacrilegious that the mother of our Lord had sex! Yet, God gave this commandment of the LORD to Adam and Eve: “Be fruitful and multiply” (Genesis 1:28b)

These verses prove that Miriam was not a perpetual virgin:

MATT 1:25 and did not know her till she had brought forth her firstborn Son. And he called His name Jesus.

MATT 13:53 When Jesus had finished these parables, he left that place. 54 He went to his hometown and began teaching the people in their synagogue in such a way that they were amazed and asked, “Where did this man get this wisdom and these miracles? 55 This is the builder’s son, isn’t it? His mother is named Mary, isn’t she? His brothers are James, Joseph, Simon, and Judas, aren’t they? 56 And his sisters are all with us, aren’t they? So where did this man get all these things?”

Third – “Immaculate Conception”. Pope Pius IX in “Ineffabilis Deus”, 1854, put this idea into writing, but the idea that Mary was free from sin has been around since the 4th century. But Scripture says that “all have sinned” (Romans 3:23).

“Papal infallibility” became a doctrine in the RCC through Pius IX in 1870.

Fourth – “Assumption of Mary”. Pope Pius XII made this official in 1950. If you don’t believe this lie, you may be labeled a heretic by the RCC. However, in the late 4th century, Epiphanius of Salamis studied this matter thoroughly and concluded that “No one knows her end”. There is no Scriptural basis for this!

CONCLUSION

An acronym for BIBLE is “Basic Instructions before Leaving Earth”. God didn’t leave us without a clue. He left us the Bible! The following Scripture makes this point:

All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work. (2 Timothy 3:16-17 NKJV)

Do you really want to adhere to the fallacies of the Roman Catholic Church?

Do you really want to be in the cult of the “fake” Virgin Mary OR do you want to do things God’s way?

“to obey is better than sacrifice”

(from 1 Samuel 15:22)

On Fatima : Angels or Aliens On this “fake” Mary: Worthless Idols

ADDENDUM

* From “Trail of Blood” by J.M. Carroll:

15. So under the leadership of Emperor Constantine there comes a truce, a courtship and a proposal of marriage. The Roman Empire through its emperor seeks a marriage with Christianity. Give us your spiritual power and we will give you of our temporal power.
16. To effectually bring about and consummate this unholy union, a council was called. In A.D. 313, a call was made for a coming together of the Christian churches or their representatives. Many but not all came. The alliance was consummated. A Hierarchy was formed. In the organization of the Hierarchy, Christ was dethroned as head of the churches and Emperor Constantine enthroned (only temporarily, however) as head of the church.
17. The Hierarchy was the definite beginning of a development which finally resulted into what is now known as the Catholic, or universal church. It might be said that its indefinite beginnings were near the close of the second and beginning of the third century, when the new ideas concerning bishops and preacher-church government began to take shape.
18. Let it be definitely remembered that when Constantine made his call for the council, there were very many of the Christians (Baptists) and of the churches, which declined to respond. They wanted no marriage with the state, and no centralized religious government, and no higher ecclesiastical government of any kind, that the individual church. These Christians (Baptists) nor the churches ever at that time or later, entered the hierarchy of the Catholic denomination.

** Apostolic Constitution of Pope Pius IX on the Immaculate Conception (December 8, 1854) …. We declare, pronounce, and define that the doctrine which holds that the most Blessed Virgin Mary,… was preserved free from all stain of original sin, is a doctrine revealed by God and therefore to be believed firmly and constantly by all the faithful….
Hence, if anyone shall dare — which God forbid! — to think otherwise than as has been defined by us, let him know and understand that he is condemned by his own judgment; that he has suffered shipwreck in the faith; that he has separated from the unity of the Church; and that, furthermore, by his own action he incurs the penalties established by law if he should dare to express in words or writing or by any other outward means the errors he thinks in his heart.