Why Mary Will not Pray

Rom. 3: 23 For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God

Some years ago, there was a popular song that said: “O Lord it’s hard to be humble, when you’re perfect in every way”. Wow! Talk about conceit! Yet there are many people who speak like that these days. The fact is, everybody ought to be humble ‘cause nobody is perfect in every way. The Bible is clear, “All have sinned and come short of the glory of God”. “There is none righteous, no not one” (Rom.3: 10).

“But”, you ask, “What about young babies? Are they sinners too?” Yes they are. The Bible says we were conceived and born in sin. They are not personally guilty for things they don’t understand, but they are born into a sinful race and have inherited sin and death. All of us, with no exception, were born as sinners and all of us need a Saviour. I am glad that we have a Saviour, Someone who took our punishment and who intercedes for us. Jesus is our Intercessor, pleading for us as sinners. The Bible says that there is “one God and one Mediator between God and man – the Man Christ Jesus” (1 Tim. 2: 5).

Jesus can intercede for us because he has no sin of His own. Although He was born into our race and inherited sin and death like the rest of us, He did not commit any sin of His own, so he is qualified to intercede for us. And, as Peter said, “there is no other name under Heaven by which we can be saved” (Acts 4: 12). He is the only perfect One and our only Intercessor.

Now listen. Some people believe that Mary, the mother of Jesus, is an intercessor for us. I respectfully say, be careful of that idea. First, she wouldn’t be qualified to do that unless she was sinless. The Bible does not say that she was. Secondly, if she was sinless, then that means that Jesus was born with an advantage over other human beings. It means He did not conquer sin as one of us. It turns the whole mission of Jesus into a sham. That belief is denying Christ. So, don’t ask Mary to pray for us. She cannot. She is dead. Even if she could hear, she would have to depend like the rest of us on Jesus to intercede because she also is a sinner and Jesus is the one Mediator. We are saved by faith in the grace of God, given through Jesus alone.

Dear Lord, thank you for Jesus, our Intercessor. Help me to trust Him and not allow anyone to take His rightful place in my life, in Jesus’ name, amen.