How to answer Protestant objections to Mary's Immaculate Conception

[Everyman]

A Protestant recently asked me how if Jesus was born to a sinless mother, doesn’t that mean that her parents would have to have been sinless also? How far do we have to go back with that logic? What do I say?

 

[AlegreFe]

A Protestant recently asked me how if Jesus was born to a sinless mother, doesn’t that mean that her parents would have to have been sinless also? How far do we have to go back with that logic? What do I say?

NO. Mary’s parents did not have to be sinless. Why? Because God can do whatever He wants. And He has the POWER to have Mary be conceived without original sin and to remain sinless all of her life. No one has a better idea than God. It was fitting for God to do this. The Lord is also Mary’s “SAVIOR” because He preserved her from falling in the first place.

Mary does not want any glory for herself. She wants all of us to know her son Jesus.

No Mary, No Jesus.
Know Mary, Know Jesus.

Here is a good website that has information on Mary. I love that Scripture Catholic website.

 

[Kay_Cee]

A Protestant recently asked me how if Jesus was born to a sinless mother, doesn’t that mean that her parents would have to have been sinless also? How far do we have to go back with that logic? What do I say?

The Church does not claim it was *necessary *for Mary to be the Immaculate Conception, only that it was *fitting. *The Church does not claim her parents were sinless.

 

[jbuck919]

Here’s how I would do it, and it’s not going to convince most protestants, almost all of whom, including Anglicans, subscribed to the false doctrine of sola scriptura as a result of whatever version of the “reformation” they underwent: I would tell them that their lineage threw something out the window and it’s their responsibility to explain why it’s not true and everything is contained in scripture when even scripture says it is not. Protentatism is a subtraction from faith, not a reformation of it.

 

[Prayer_Warrior]

Mary’s parents were not sinless. She was born Immaculate because Jesus chose to save her from the moment of her conception. The old example is that for us normal folks we fall into a puddle and Jesus helps us up out of the puddle. For Mary, Jesus still helped her, but rather than helping her out of the puddle, He prevented her from falling in.

Whenever a protestant objects to the Immaculate Conception I remind them that the entire Bible is filled with stories and teachings which show one important fact, summed up nicely in Revelation. That is that nothing unclean shall enter heaven. Why not? * Because sin cannot be united with God*. We have to be washed clean of our sin by the perfect obedient Sacrifice of Our Lord Jesus. What does this have to do with Mary, you may ask. Well, think for a moment about nothing unclean being united with God and then think about the conception of Jesus. The Holy Spirit overshadowed Mary and through that overshadowing the perfect hypostatic union of flesh and divinity was conceived. Mary was united with God in such a profound way it is mind boggling and protestants treat Mary like she was a surrogate or something.

If we look back in the teachings of the Old Testament we continually see where God was showing His people that nothing unclean would be permitted in His presence (this was a preparation of what was to be taught in the New Testament). In the Temple, everyone had to go through ritual cleansing to enter. It didn’t matter if they committed a personal sin. They had to be cleansed even if they had buried a dead body. Why? Because death was a result of sin and it was not to be in God’s presence. (they also had that rule about touching blood, which is why Mary went throught ritual purification after the birth of Jesus)

Also, think about the ark that was to carry God’s Word (the tablets), the Bread from Heaven (manna) and the Rod (Aarons Rod). It had to be made of the purest gold. This was a specification of God Himself. Now think of the womb of Mary, it was to carry the Word of God, the Bread of Heaven, the Messiah with the iron Rod… Our Lord Jesus. Don’t you think that God would also require purity in the womb in which He would live for 9 months?

Just some of the thoughts I have on the Immaculate Conception.

 

[water]

you can also get info from Marian Doctrine at:
ewtn.com/faith/teachings/marya2.htm

 

[rr1213]

The Church does not claim it was *necessary *for Mary to be the Immaculate Conception, only that it was *fitting. *The Church does not claim her parents were sinless.

Which is a good reason not to argue from the principle of necessity. God is Sovereign and he is perfectly capable of keeping Christ from being conceived in sin without needing to make his mother Mary conceived without sin in order to do so. The OP is unlikely to convince his Protestant friend with that argument because it is so easily refuted.

 

[SarahTMH]

If sin cannot be united with God, what about recieving Jesus in Holy Communion?

 

[Fergal]

Mary’s parents were not sinless. She was born Immaculate because Jesus chose to save her from the moment of her conception. The old example is that for us normal folks we fall into a puddle and Jesus helps us up out of the puddle. For Mary, Jesus still helped her, but rather than helping her out of the puddle, He prevented her from falling in.

:clapping: I just love this explination! I always use it. So simply yet so profound! Well Done!:extrahappy:

 

[AlegreFe]

Mary’s parents were not sinless. She was born Immaculate because Jesus chose to save her from the moment of her conception. The old example is that for us normal folks we fall into a puddle and Jesus helps us up out of the puddle. For Mary, Jesus still helped her, but rather than helping her out of the puddle, He prevented her from falling in.

I love this explanation. I use it myself. I first heard it from Steve Ray, a convert to the Catholic Faith from the Baptist church.

Whenever a protestant objects to the Immaculate Conception I remind them that the entire Bible is filled with stories and teachings which show one important fact, summed up nicely in Revelation. That is that nothing unclean shall enter heaven.

AMEN!

Mary was united with God in such a profound way it is mind boggling and protestants treat Mary like she was a surrogate or something.

This is so true. My BIL says that Mary is a “needle in a hay stack.” What?! A needle in a hay stack??!! Yes, I was peeved when he said that. But I was also very sad.

they also had that rule about touching blood, which is why Mary went throught ritual purification after the birth of Jesus

Whoa!! Wait a second here.
Do you think that there was blood when Mary gave birth to Jesus?!
Do you believe in Mary’s Perpetual Virginity? Do you believe she was a virgin before during and after the birth of Jesus?

There was no blood during the birth of Jesus. He is God and there was no need to enter this world the way that we did. For one, He is God and two, Mary was to remain a virgin all her life. The same way that Jesus entered the upper room when the Apostles locked themselves in there for fear of the Jews is the same way that Jesus entered into this world from Mary.

The reason why Mary did all that was required of a Jewish woman after a birth was not because she needed to do it. Rather she did it because she was humble and obedient.

Also, think about the ark that was to carry God’s Word (the tablets), the Bread from Heaven (manna) and the Rod (Aarons Rod). It had to be made of the purest gold. This was a specification of God Himself. Now think of the womb of Mary, it was to carry the Word of God, the Bread of Heaven, the Messiah with the iron Rod… Our Lord Jesus. Don’t you think that God would also require purity in the womb in which He would live for 9 months.

So true! Amen!

 

[AlegreFe]

If sin cannot be united with God, what about recieving Jesus in Holy Communion?

Which is why we need to go to Confession before receiving Jesus in Holy Communion, because we are all sinners and we need to be in a state of grace before receiving Jesus in the Eucharist, and one of the ways that can be is if we go to Confession first.

20 When you meet in one place, then, it is not to eat the Lord’s supper, … 23 For I received from the Lord what I also handed on to you, that the Lord Jesus, on the night he was handed over, took bread, 24 and, after he had given thanks, broke it and said,
“This is my body that is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.”
25 In the same way also the cup, after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.”
26 For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the death of the Lord until he comes. 27 Therefore whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord unworthily will have to answer for the body and blood of the Lord. 28 A person should examine himself, and so eat the bread and drink the cup. 29 For anyone who eats and drinks without discerning the body, eats and drinks judgment on himself. 30 That is why many among you are ill and infirm, and a considerable number are dying. 31 If we discerned ourselves, we would not be under judgment; 32 but since we are judged by (the) Lord, we are being disciplined so that we may not be condemned along with the world.

 

[myfavoritmartin]

How to answer Protestant objections to Mary’s Immaculate Conception ???

Use Holy Scripture…Oh wait, there isn’t anything in there on that

 

[AlegreFe]

How to answer Protestant objections to Mary’s Immaculate Conception ???

Use Holy Scripture…Oh wait, there isn’t anything in there on that

Yes there is, you just can’t see it. Your pride blinds you from the truth.

 

[sebestt]

myfavoritmartin:

Do you believe in the concepts of sola scriptura and sola fide?

 

[Charlie_Zeaiter]

How to answer Protestant objections to Mary’s Immaculate Conception ???

Use Holy Scripture…Oh wait, there isn’t anything in there on that

I supposed we can lead our Protestant friends to Our Lady of Lourdes where she introduced herself as “The Immaculate Conception” on March 25th, 1858.

 

[Charlie_Zeaiter]

**Adam and Eve: **Eve is the bride of Adam. They never really married as we know it - but she was his bride from her creation. She was created immaculately.

**Christ and The Church: **The church is the bride of Christ. Again, they never really married as know it - but the church was created immaculately “without a stain or blemish”.

**Yahweh and Israel: **Israel is the bride of Yahweh (The Father). And again, they never really married, but I assume that Israel was the bride from her creation too (can anybody back me up here?).

**The Holy Spirit and Mary: **Mary is the bride of the Holy Spirit. Wouldn’t it imply that she was always the Holy Spirit’s bride from the moment of her creation/conception (like the way Eve, Israel, and The Church were brides at their creations)? And so, wouldn’t it imply that she needed to be immaculate to be the bride of the Holy Spirit? :twocents:

These are just my thoughts; Do you think they’re sensible thoughts?

 

[Good_Fella]

A Protestant recently asked me how if Jesus was born to a sinless mother, doesn’t that mean that her parents would have to have been sinless also? How far do we have to go back with that logic? What do I say?

Joachim and Ann were not the biological parents of God Incarnate. Moreover, God intervened in Mary’s case because she was in need of redemption, being implicated in the fall of man. Mary was preserved free from original sin because the ark of the New Covenant had to be pure and undefiled as the ark of the Old Covenant. It was a matter of fittingness in accord with God’s wisdom, not his power.

Pax vobiscum
Good Fella

 

[AlegreFe]

The Holy Spirit and Mary: Mary is the bride of the Holy Spirit. Wouldn’t it imply that she was always the Holy Spirit’s bride from the moment of her creation/conception (like the way Eve, Israel, and The Church were brides at their creations)? And so, wouldn’t it imply that she needed to be immaculate to be the bride of the Holy Spirit? :twocents:

I’ve been trying to shed some light on a fellow “YouTuber” about the fact that Mary is the Spouse of the Holy Spirit. I hope you have a YouTube channel so you can enlighten this person. I know that the Holy Spirit is the only person to convert anyone but at least we can try to shed some light on some people.

You can see the video here but as far as the comments, it’s easier to follow the posted comments and their perspective replies here, otherwise they seem to not have any kind of order. It’s basically a conversation between GuardianofTwilight and myself (1Hope4All). Once in a while someone else jumps in. But I wish more Catholics would jump in also.

These are just my thoughts; Do you think they’re sensible thoughts?

Yes they are sensible thoughts. :yup:

 

[AlegreFe]

Joachim and Ann were not the biological parents of God Incarnate. Moreover, God intervened in Mary’s case because she was in need of redemption, being implicated in the fall of man. Mary was preserved free from original sin because the ark of the New Covenant had to be pure and undefiled as the ark of the Old Covenant. It was a matter of fittingness in accord with God’s wisdom, not his power.

Absolutely! But of course it was His power that made it happen. Although we can see His wisdom being His power.

 

[thistle]

How to answer Protestant objections to Mary’s Immaculate Conception ???

Use Holy Scripture…Oh wait, there isn’t anything in there on that

The Founders of Protestantism, Luther, Calvin and Zwingili, all believed in the Immaculate Conception.