Help...debating Immaculate Conception

[phatcatholic]

this verse affirms the first point i made in my previous post:

[b]1 Cor 3:11-15[/b]
[b]11 [/b]For no other foundation can any one lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.
[b]12 [/b]Now if any one builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw--
[b]13 [/b]each man's work will become manifest; for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each one has done.
[b]14 [/b]If the work which any man has built on the foundation survives, he will receive a reward.
[b]15 [/b]If any man's work is burned up, he will suffer loss, though he himself will be saved, but only as through fire.


gold, silver, and precious stones represent the good works that survive the fire. wood, hay, and straw represent the evil deeds that are burned up.

[phatcatholic]

with this understanding of gold, it is of no wonder that the ark was adorned in such a way:

[b]Heb 9:3-5[/b]
[b]3 [/b]Behind the second curtain stood a tent called the Holy of Holies,
[b]4 [/b]having the [b]golden[/b] altar of incense and the ark of the covenant covered on all sides with [b]gold[/b], which contained a [b]golden[/b] urn holding the manna, and Aaron's rod that budded, and the tables of the covenant;
[b]5 [/b]above it were the cherubim of glory overshadowing the mercy seat. Of these things we cannot now speak in detail.


the ark of the old covenant was adorned w/ gold to reflect its holiness. Mary is a new testament fulfillment of this ark. she is the ark of the new covenant, adorned with grace to reflect her holiness.

the ark of the old covenant was so holy that no man was allowed to touch it (2 Sam 6:7). likewise, Mary, the ark of the new covenant, was holy and "knew not a man" (Luke 1:34)

i hope this answers you question

pax christi,
phatcatholic