Angelology
The angels of God should be invoked and are worthy to be worshiped |
The
Roman Catholic Church teaches that Christians can invoke the angels of God
and worship them. Here is what we read in the Catechism of the Catholic Church: ‘In her liturgy, the church
joins with the angels to adore the thriceholy God. She invokes their
assistance (in the funeral liturgy's In Paradisum deducant te angeli ...
['May the angels lead you into |
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Confutation |
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The
Holy Scripture says that “the angels of the Lord encamp all around those who
fear Him, and deliver them” (Psalm 34:7 – Italian Bible Diodati Version), and
also that because we have made the Lord our dwelling place, He shall give His
angels charge over us to keep us in all our ways (cf. Psalm 91:9-11).
However, it does not say that we should invoke the angels of God for they
make intercession for us; the reason is that there is one mediator between
God and us, the Man Christ Jesus (cf. 1 Timothy
2:5). Nor does it say that we are allowed to worship angels, rather the
Scripture warns us not to worship them, for Paul says: “Let no one cheat you
of your reward, taking delight in false humility and worship of angels,
intruding into those things which he has not seen, vainly puffed up by his
fleshly mind” (Colossians 2:18 – NKJV). The angels of God are not worthy to
be worshipped because God alone is worthy to be worshiped; the apostle John
confirmed this when he wrote the following words: “And I John saw these
things, and heard them. And when I had heard and seen, I fell down to worship
before the feet of the angel which shewed me these things. Then saith he unto
me, See thou do it not: for I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren the
prophets, and of them which keep the sayings of this book: worship God” (Revelation
22:8-9). |
We
know very well that Roman Catholics affirm that they don’t worship angels,
rather they venerate them, that is to say, they
revere them; however facts speak for themselves, because what they call
veneration actually is adoration. |
Brothers,
beware of anyone who somehow seeks to induce you to invoke and worship
angels, for he is trying to make you become an idolater in the sight of God
and as you know all idolaters will have their part in the lake which burns
with fire and brimstone (cf. Revelation 21:8). Let no one deceive you with empty
words. |