Beware the Heresy of Mary Exaltation

By David J. Stewart

Revelation 20:13, “And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works.”

       One of the most popular sins committed in apostate churches today is Mary exaltation. That is, Mary, Jesus' biological mother. There is not one Scripture in the entire Bible that teaches a believer to recognize, honor, nor exalt Mary. Mary was a sinner like anybody else (Romans 3:10), and she needed a Savior just like you and me. In fact, Mary called Jesus “my Saviour” in Luke 1:47.

Catholics outright sinfully bow to Mary, which cannot be called anything less than idolatrous worship of a graven image. Exodus 20:4-5 strictly forbids bowing to any statue or image...

“Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God...”

Protestantism is no better. Protestantism is NOT even a Christian movement. Martin Luther is mistakenly recognized by many believers as the father of the “faith only” movement in Protestant churches. However, Luther is also the father of many heresies within Protestantism that negate any so-called “faith” in Christ. Luther clearly taught the heresies of Baptismal Regeneration, Sacramental Salvation, and promoted exaltation of Mary. Luther errantly taught that Holy Baptism and Holy Communion are required for salvation. The Bible does not agree with Mr. Luther at all. In sharp contrast, the Bible exposes Martin Luther as a religious deceiver and a massive fraud.

Luther sinfully exalts Mary as the “Spiritual Mother” of all Christians...

Mary is the Mother of Jesus and the Mother of all of us even though it was Christ alone who reposed on her knees . . . If he is ours, we ought to be in his situation; there where he is, we ought also to be and all that he has ought to be ours, and his mother is also our mother. (Sermon, Christmas, 1529).

It is the consolation and the superabundant goodness of God, that man is able to exult in such a treasure. Mary is his true Mother ... (Sermon, Christmas, 1522)

The Bible calls Mr. Luther a liar. Nowhere in the Scriptures are we directed as believers to exalt Mary as our spiritual mother. Such claims are dangerous, leading people into idolatrous recognition of Mary as being something more than she really is, which is a filthy sinner. The idea that Mary is anyone's spiritual mother is total blasphemy. The Roman Catholic Church is steeped into Mary worship. God hates it because it is idolatry (Exodus 20:4-5). Catholics say 53 “hail Marys” in every rosary recital. That is formalized religion and it offends God greatly (Mark 7:6-13).

Luther errantly teaches that Mary remained a virgin, which is the same heresy that Catholics teach concerning the perpetual virginity of Mary Luther states...

Christ, our Savior, was the real and natural fruit of Mary's virginal womb . . . This was without the cooperation of a man, and she remained a virgin after that.

SOURCE: Luther's Works, eds. Jaroslav Pelikan (vols. 1-30) & Helmut T. Lehmann (vols. 31-55), St. Louis: Concordia Pub. House (vols. 1-30); Philadelphia: Fortress Press (vols. 31-55), 1955, v.22:23 / Sermons on John, chapters 1-4 (1539)

The notion that Mary remained a virgin is ridiculous in view of the Scriptures. Mary had at least 4 sons and 2 daughters besides Jesus (Matthew 23:55-56). Mary was Jesus' earthly mother, not ours. Mary is not anyone's spiritual mother. The Godhead is completely masculine in gender.

Here again is Mr. Luther errantly teaching that Mary had no children besides Jesus...

Christ . . . was the only Son of Mary, and the Virgin Mary bore no children besides Him . . . I am inclined to agree with those who declare that 'brothers' really mean 'cousins' here, for Holy Writ and the Jews always call cousins brothers.

SOURCE: Luther's Works, eds. Jaroslav Pelikan (vols. 22:214-215 / Sermons on John, chaps. 1-4 (1539)

The notion that Mary remained a virgin is strictly Catholic in origin. It is a sad commentary on men like Martin Luther, John Calvin, and even John Wesley, who all taught that Mary remained a virgin after Christ's birth. It is the doctrine of devils that Mary remained a virgin, or that Mary is a believer's spiritual mother. Mary was a sinner, who was born with a sin-nature, who sinned during her lifetime, and died a sinner's death, and is in Heaven today only because she believed upon the name of the Lord Jesus Christ; Whom God brought into the world through the vessel of Mary's womb, conceived miraculously by the Holy Spirit of God.

To recognize Mary in any capacity is a sin, for the Bible never tells us to recognize her, nor any other human being other than the God-man, Jesus Christ. 1st Timothy 2:5, “For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.”