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Question: I have a great many acquaintances and relatives that are Catholic. I was brought up in that church, but I never understood the Gospel until I heard a Bible preaching born-again pastor preach it. My question is this:

I have a friend who is Catholic. She listened to my pastor preach the gospel (on tape) and agreed totally with it. She said she has admitted she is a sinner, confessed her sins and asked Jesus to be Lord and Savior of her life.

This is where my confusion comes in. She's been seriously ill for a year and she'll say that she is offering up her sickness as payment for her sins! Also she says if she goes to a certain chapel nine times by such and such a date that she'll go to heaven. She still thinks Mary was sinless and ascended into heaven.

I tell her no; Jesus paid the price in full. She can't offer her sickness as atonement. I tell her all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God; only Jesus is the spotless lamb who paid for our sins. She says she agrees with me but believes all this other stuff too, including purgatory.

She is really a sweet person who's had a very horrible year with sickness, financial problems, lot's of people being mean to her etc. My heart goes out to her; I pray for her and with her... but is she saved?? I think she is; then she starts with all that other stuff, which I tell her is not in the word of God. She says Mary said it when she appeared at Medjugorje. I tell her I don't believe she appeared.

Do I tell her she's not saved or would she be considered saved - but have weak faith?? I am not sure she's saved. I wouldn't want to find out someday, when it's too late, that she's not.

Answer: Your friend reminds me of so many other people I've met who do not place their faith completely in Jesus Christ. Your friend says that she has confessed her sins to Jesus and made Him the Lord and Savior of her life. Ask her if Jesus has forgiven her of her sins. The Word of God says, "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness" (I John 1:9).

Since Jesus has forgiven our sin, there is no more sacrifice to be made for sin. He did the job completely when He died on the cross and rose again the third day. The book of Hebrews says, "...but now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself" (Hebrews 9:26b).

If your friend refuses to believe what the Bible says about her sin, she is not trusting the Lord for full salvation. "The just shall live by faith..." (Romans 5). "By grace are ye saved, through faith, and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God, lest any man should boast" is another scripture very effective in proving that salvation is by faith only, not by works.

Regarding Mary, "All have sinned and come short of the glory of God," and "it is appointed unto man, once to die and after this the judgement."

Any belief or belief system that is not based on the inspired Word of God is nothing more than superstition. The Bible also says that even though an angel (you could put Mary's name in there) comes to you preaching any other gospel; let him be accursed. The Bible is very clear in its statement that anything outside of or contrary to the inspired Word of God should be left behind in one's search for spiritual truth.

I would encourage you to continue praying for your friend. I also recommend that you read Jack Chick's tract, Why is Mary Crying? Although I would not recommend that you give her the booklet, it will give you some information that might be helpful in ministering to your friend.

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