Answer:
The Bible is
absolutely clear that we are
to worship God alone. The
only instances of anyone
other than God receiving
worship in the Bible are
false gods, which are Satan
and his demons. All
followers of the Lord God
refuse worship. Peter and
the apostles refused to be
worshipped (Acts 10:25-26;
14:13-14). The holy angels
refuse to be worshipped
(Revelation 19:10; 22:9).
The response is always the
same, "Worship God!"
Roman Catholics attempt to
"bypass" these clear
Scriptural principles by
claiming they do not
“worship” Mary or saints,
but rather that they only
"venerate" Mary and the
saints. Using a different
word does not change the
essence of what is being
done. A definition of
"venerate" is "to regard
with respect or reverence."
Nowhere in the Bible are we
told to revere anyone but
God alone. There is nothing
wrong with respecting those
faithful Christians who have
gone before us (see Hebrews
chapter 11). There is
nothing wrong with honoring
Mary as the earthly mother
of Jesus. The Bible
describes Mary as "highly
favored" by God (Luke 1:28).
At the same time, there is
no instruction in the Bible
to revere those whom have
gone to Heaven. We are to
follow their example, yes,
but worship, revere, or
venerate, no!
When forced to admit that
they do, in fact, worship
Mary, Catholics will claim
that they worship God
through her, by praising the
wonderful creation that God
has made. Mary, in their
minds, is the most beautiful
and wonderful creation of
God, and by praising her,
they are praising her
Creator. For Catholics, this
is analogous to directing
praise to an artist by
praising his sculpture or
painting. The problem with
this is that God explicitly
commands against worshipping
Him through created things.
We are not to bow down and
worship anything in the form
of heaven above or earth
below (Exodus 20:4-5).
Romans 1:25 could not be
more clear, "They exchanged
the truth of God for a lie,
and worshiped and served
created things rather than
the Creator — who is forever
praised. Amen." Yes, God has
created wonderful and
amazing things. Yes, Mary
was a godly woman who is
worthy of our respect. No,
we absolutely are not to
worship God "vicariously" by
praising things (or people)
He has created. Doing so is
blatant idolatry.
The major way Catholics
"venerate" Mary and the
saints is by praying to
them. As the following
article demonstrates, prayer
to anyone other than God
alone is anti-Biblical –
praying to saints and
Mary. Whether Mary
and/or the saints are prayed
to, or whether they are
petitioned for their prayers
– neither practice is
Biblical. Pray is an act of
worship. When we pray to
God, we are admitting that
we need His help. Directing
our prayers to anyone other
than God is robbing God of
the glory that is His alone.
Another way Catholics
"venerate" Mary and the
saints is by creating
statues and images of them.
Many Catholics use images of
Mary and/or the saints as
"good luck charms." Any
cursory reading of the Bible
will reveal this practice as
blatant idolatry (Exodus
20:4-6; 1 Corinthians 12:12;
1 John 5:21). Rubbing rosary
beads is idolatry. Lighting
candles before a statue or
portrayal of a saint is
idolatry. Burying a Joseph
statue in hopes of selling
your home (and countless
other Catholic practices) is
idolatry.
The terminology is not the
issue. Whether the practice
is described as "worship" or
"veneration," or any other
term, the problem is the
same. Any time we ascribe
something that belongs to
God, to someone else, it is
idolatry. The Bible nowhere
instructs us to revere, pray
to, rely on, or "idolize"
anyone other than God. We
are to worship God alone.
Glory, praise, and honor
belong to God alone. Only
God is worthy to "...receive
glory and honor and
power..." (Revelation 4:11).
God alone is worthy to
receive our worship,
adoration, and praise
(Nehemiah 9:6; Revelation
15:4).