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"...The church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth."
I Timothy 3:15
Relics Exposed
Missions to Catholics Challenger
There seems to be no end to the list of Roman relics. The fact that there are so many relics of each apostle and saint and so many duplicates of articles of primitive interest is sufficient to disprove the authenticity of such superstitious things. Some of the relics are especially bizarre, such as sweat from Gethsemane, wine that Jesus made, milk from the Virgin Mary, incense from the Wise Men, our Lord’s foreskin, a finger of St. Anne (Mary’s mother), Peter’s head, feathers from St. Michael's wings...and the list goes on and on!
The Church of Rome holds that the dead bodies or bones of the Saints, also whatever other things belonged to them in their mortal life, are relics. Is it not strange that a religion will try to justify her practices and teachings even though they are nowhere to be found in the Bible? Here are some of the arguments that Rome uses in defense of relics:
(1) Moses carried the bones of Joseph with him into Egypt;
(2) God honored the remains of Moses by burying them with His own hand;
(3) the mantle of Elijah was powerful to Elisha;
(4) the dead man was brought to life when his body touched the bones of Elisha;
(5) a woman was healed as she touched the hem of Christ’s garment;
(6) the handkerchiefs and aprons that touched the body of Paul, and the shadow of Peter brought healing to the sick.
A simple study of each of the foregoing incidents will reveal that none of them can be construed to support relics. The use of relics is not supported by reason nor by the Bible. They have always been accompanied by a tendency to idolatry.
Rome boasts that power has been transmitted to her and the fact that her relics, images and saints have all wrought and still continue to work miracles is proof of that power. Yet, here miracles are not trustworthy. When the acclaimed miracles are investigated it is found that they have usually been performed within the inner circle of the religious system and in circumstances designed to make minute investigations impossible. In contrast, the miracles of Christ and His apostles were, beyond question, authentic.
God has declared in the Holy Scriptures that any sign or wonder wrought in support of any doctrine contrary to His Word is, without further examination, to be pronounced false.
"If there arise among you a prophet, or a dreamer of dreams, and giveth thee a sign or a wonder, And the sign or the wonder come to pass, whereof he spake unto thee, saying, Let us go after other gods, which thou hast not known, and let us serve them; Thou shalt not hearken unto the words of that prophet, or that dreamer of dreams: for the Lord your God proveth you, to know whether ye love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul." (Deut. 13:1-3).
It is not surprising to the Biblical Christian that the relics and miracles of Roman Catholicism bring honor and glory, not to Christ who is to have the preeminence in all things, but to men, things or institutions.
That which does not honor the Lord Jesus Christ is from the enemy who is at work to deceive those who will not follow God’s Word.