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Date:         Fri, 21 Aug 1992 15:24:15 PDT
From:         Abraham Amirtha <aamirtha@HPIOSF.CORP.HP.COM>
Subject: Re: This won't win me any friends, but...
X-To:         Practical Christian Life <CHRISTIA@ASUVM.INRE.ASU.EDU>
              92 4:05 pm

Hi everyone,
	There is no denying the fact that Mary was a wonderful servant of God
whose motto in life was "Thy will be done".  When the Angel of God had
announced to her that the Messiah will be concieved in her womb by the Holy
Spirit, (even when she was not married) she humbly accepted God's will without
consulting with "flesh and blood". She does not say, " Well, I shall tell you
after asking Joseph about this." or some such thing. She also had to undergo
so much pain and anguish to see Jesus hang on the cross, but she bore
all this without complaints. She was a wonderful example. Indeeed she was a
saint. But that does not mean that Christians must rever/worship her. After
all she was also a human being saved *only* by grace. So it is unscriptural to
give undue importance to her in our worship and prayers least it lead to idol
worship.
	Remember what the Israelites did to the brazen serpent. When the
Israelites were plagued by the snakes in the wilderness, God asks Moses to
make a brazen serpent so that all those who look unto it may be saved. Did
the Isrelites do that ? Yes, they did and they did more than that - they started
to worship it, which was an abomination in God's sight. The purpose of the
brazen serpent ended when the plague ended and the Israelites did not realize
it. They carried the brazen serpent with them. And Hezekiah (am I right ?) had
to destroy the brazen serpent to prevent the Israelites from sinning further.
	I remember a parable that I heard from someone when I was in India :
	There was once upon a time a newly married couple in a town who were
living a happy life. But then the war came and the husband had to go to the
battle field. But the husband promised to send her money every month to meet
the household expenses. And the husband, true to his word sent her money every
month.  But alas he could not deliver the money himself - the post man delivered
it. So the innocent wife conveniently forgot about her husband, thought that
it was the postman who was giving her the money and fell in love with him.
	Many a times we are like the wife in the above parable, we forget
God and catch hold of the vehicles God uses for His glory and for the
extension of His kingdom - be it Mary or the cross or Peter. Where is the
fault ? God is not at fault, nor is the God's messenger at fault. It is we who
forget the author of the blessing who are at fault. Let us remember, "Paul
was not crucified for us and Appolos did not die for our sins" but it was
Christ who gave his life for us and only He is worthy of our worship and
reverence. May God give us grace and help us worship Him in spirit and truth.
	God Bless you all.

-Abraham Amirtharaj.
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