Is Rome
Really "Just Another Expression of Christianity?"
Many folk
today
sweep
away the
Protestant Reformation and the
pitiless murder of countless men and women who would not compromise
their faith during it. Are they right to do this? Is Rome
really 'just another denomination’? Is it really
"just another expression of Christianity"? Or is it a
false religious system which has persecuted true believers
throughout the centuries and continues to do so in countries where
it holds sway?
One Church of England minister has
said:
|
“One of the exciting things that
is happening in these days is that God is lowering the
denominational barriers and people don't mind so much anymore
whether you are a Methodist or a Baptist, whether you are a Roman
Catholic or an Anglican. These are not the significant
things. There are some issues which
aren’t that important about which Christians have divided. It is amazing the issues about which Christians divide. New
denominations start sometimes over the most trivial matters…”
[1]. |
This minister doesn’t
say which denominations he considers started over “trivial” matters
and which – if any – started over fundamental issues. But it does
not take much for any historically uninformed person listening to
him to assume that the Protestant ‘denominations’ divided
from the Catholic ‘denomination’ over trivial issues – and that this
was not a good thing. He continues:
|
“Paul says there is only one body;
one Holy Spirit indwells Christians. So it doesn’t
matter whether you are a Roman Catholic or a Protestant
… Of course, there are still some people who think
their denomination is the only denomination that are
true Christians. It is very rare, but you do come across
it.
“I heard of one person who was
like that – a Baptist pastor, a true Christian, a
very, very bigoted and arrogant man – who was going
to preach at a church one Sunday. It was an
ecumenical Sunday; a time when we were meant to be
looking at unity between denominations, but he didn’t
want anything to do with that and people who knew that
stayed away … But it is a very unusual attitude these
days because most people recognize that the Spirit of
God unites us with … every denomination, be-cause there
is one family…”
[2]. |
Paul does indeed say that there is one body and one Spirit;
but he also says that there is one Lord and one faith. If the
teachings of Roman Catholicism were true to that one Lord and one
faith, then it would be right to urge unity with the Roman Catholic
Church. But Roman Catholicism never has been a part of the body of
Christ and it never will be; it is teaching ‘another doctrine’ (1
Timothy 1:3) and ‘another gospel’ (Galatians 1:6,8), and far from urging
unity with false teachers, as the quotes above so confidently - and so
wrongly - assert, Paul commands the true body of Christ to
separate from them (1 Corinthians 5:11; 6:9-10; 2 Corinthians 6:16-18).
|
“[F]lee ye from the
Chaldeans…” (Isaiah 48:20); “Remove out of the midst of Babylon and
go forth out of the land of the Chaldeans”
(Jeremiah 50:8). See also Isaiah 14:22 & 21:9. |
The view
that the division between
Protestants and Catholics is “absolute nonsense” is, sadly, widespread. But the reason
“people don’t care so much these days which denomination someone
comes from” is simple: few people today know anything about church
history – the Protestant Reformation being just one of the extremely
important periods that is no longer properly taught in schools.
Church leaders, however, have no such excuse. They have access to
hundreds of tomes dealing with church history and cannot claim
ignorance of the ongoing teachings of the Roman Church.
What does this minister think about the
Reformation? What does he think of those brave Protestant men and
women who were murdered by Rome for rejecting the abominations of
the Mass, and Purgatory, and Mariolatry and sacerdotal mediation?
What does he think of the countless faithful Christians who were put
to death by the cruel Dominican Inquisition in the centuries leading
up to the Reformation because they read the holy scriptures for
themselves? What does he think about these Bible believers and so
many others like them who have stood up against the evils of the
mighty Roman Institution for the last 1700 years?
In fact, what about his own
predecessors? The Church of England was founded by men of awesome
faith and courage. For example, the deaths of Revs. Rogers,
Saunders, Marsh, Cardmaker, Bradford, Bland, Frankesh, Samuel, Palmer, Hullier,
Rough, and Yeoman were each an incredibly moving story of heroic
courage and immense grace at the hands of their Catholic persecutors
[3].
How does he explain their deaths?
Who Are the "Bigots"?
This pastor brands as bigots those who believe
that “their denomination is the only denomination that are
true Christians”. However, as we discuss
elsewhere, from their own official documents, if
any
group thinks “their denomination is the only denomination
that are true Christians” it is the Roman Catholic
‘denomination’!
If we are still in any doubt as to who the
‘bigots’ are, here are some further telling statements from Rome.
Please note that she always seems to refer to Protestants as being
"separated" from her, rather than the two Churches being separated
from one another. It follows that, for the Catholic Church,
ecumenism is not a movement of Protestants and Catholics toward one another,
as Protestants believe, but is seen as the
‘separated brethren’ reconciling themselves to the Roman Church.
|
“The Catholic Church possesses
the whole of the wealth of God’s revealed truth
[4]
and all the means of grace
[5].
It is unable to concede similar status to others.
When Catholics
pray for the restoration of full Communion with other Christians
they are praying for that unity … which is found in all its
characteristics in the Catholic Church”
[6].
“Is it possible to explain this
attachment of an entire people to their own [Protestant]
church as a fully conscious act of rebellion, and of
open revolt, as it was in their founders? …
Certainly our church is right, while
… the one in which they live is wrong…”
[7].
“The Church … Catholic … is
the one [i.e. sole] Ark of salvation for all”
[8];
“The sole Church of Christ … is governed by the
successor of Peter” [Catholic Catechism]
[9].
“The Church … is upheld infallibly
in the truth: Christ governs her through Peter and the
other apostles, who are present in their successors, the
Pope and the college of bishops” [Catholic
Catechism]
[10]. |
Similarly, in Vatican II, ecumenism is
nothing other than submission to Rome. Hence we read:
|
“[O]ur separated brethren …
are not blessed with that unity which Jesus Christ wished to bestow
… For it is through Christ’s Catholic Church alone, …
that the fullness of the means of salvation can be obtained…” [Vatican
II]
[11].
“The ‘ecumenical movement’
means those activities and enterprises which … are started and
organized for the fostering of unity among Christians … The result
will be that … all Christians will be gathered … into that unity of
the one and only Church ... This unity, we believe, dwells
in the Catholic Church
as something she can
never lose” [Vatican II]
[12]. |
The Council of Trent vigorously and repeatedly denounced the
Scriptural truths upheld by the Protestants of the 16th
century. And while Vatican II may have put a different
face on Rome; now addressing Protestants more subtly as
‘separated brethren’ rather than ‘heretics’, yet the message
is the same. When Rome calls us “separated brethren” she means
that, until we are back in her clutches, we are lost
brethren, separated from God.
Social
Action
There is plenty of
evidence to show that any ecumenical ‘movement’ is indeed “all one
way”. Protestants who foolishly think they can work with Rome on
social issues – however worthy those concerns may be – all too
easily succumb to Rome’s false religious spirit. For example,
one attendee at the large ecumenical conference in Indianapolis in
August 1990 writes:
|
“[Catholic priest] Michael Scanlan
[13]
... gave a testimony of his experiences in jail for picketing an
abortion clinic in 1989. He said the group of demonstrators -
Catholics and Protestants - were placed in an armory and
spent the two weeks together. They had mass every
morning; they said the rosary two or more times a day; they
had a seminar on Marian theology and papal teaching.
“The main point that Scanlan made
from this experience was the 'blessing' of seeing 'most of the
Protestants say the rosary'. In fact, he said some of them
started wearing the rosary around their necks, and since then
when a demonstration is held in the Pittsburgh area, 'Protestants
who were in jail there have led the rosary'. Scanlan was
enthused about this...”
[14]. |
Even if someone
thinks they know better than the Lord, and they imagine that
associating with idolators would not be a snare to them,
nevertheless just by working with Rome in this sort of way they are
legitimizing her in the eyes of others
[15].
Protestants need also
to be aware that Rome's calls for world peace are not all they seem.
Of course peace is a very attractive proposition, and as individuals
we are promised true shalom (peace and harmony) with God if
we accept His gospel and walk with Him (2 Thessalonians 1:7-8; 1
Peter 4:17-19). But God's Word does not promise either
the world or the Church physical peace on earth.
Far from it: "In the world ye shall have tribulation" (John
16:33). Satan however wants men to be at peace with him,
using whom he will to that end. He is only too happy to
promise temporal peace if it will lead people to join his false
church
[16].
|
“[E]very one is given to
covetousness; and from the prophet even unto
the priest every one dealeth falsely. They
have healed also the hurt of the daughter of My people
slightly, saying, Peace, peace; when there is no
[true] peace” (Jeremiah 6:13-14). |
But
this false
peace will be destroyed when the Lord Jesus returns:
|
“For when they shall say, Peace
and safety; then [at the Lord’s return] sudden
destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child and
they shall not escape” (1 Thessalonians 5:3). |
Additional Points
While we are on the subject of social
activism, it is – as always – worth checking what Scripture says,
rather than assuming that God shares our traditional outlook on
things. What does God’s Word say about a Christian’s primary social
concern?
|
“We are bound to thank God always
for you, brethren, as it is meet, because that your faith
groweth exceedingly, and the charity of every one of
you all toward each other aboundeth” (2 Thessalonians 1:3).
“Be kindly affectioned one to
another with brotherly love; … Distributing to the
necessity of saints” (Romans 12:10-13).
“And above all things have
fervent charity among yourselves … Use hospitality one to another without grudging. As every man hath received the
gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good
stewards of the manifold grace of God” (1 Peter 4:8-10). |
From the above it appears that we should be
especially concerned for the temporal welfare of fellow believers.
“But the Bible says ‘do good to all men’”! Of course we must
desire the good of all, and seek to be a blessing to everyone whom
the Lord introduces into our lives. We must do good, rather than
evil, to those with whom the Lord brings us into contact. But let
us not lose sight of the remainder of that verse:
|
“[D]o good unto all men, especially unto them who are of
the household of faith [i.e.
Bible-believers]” (Galatians 6:10). |
Even if our own local church may have no
great needs, our suffering brethren elsewhere in the world certainly
do. In many regions they are persecuted and impoverished by the
governments and people of pagan nations. Organizations like Voice of the Martyrs
[17]
regularly expose the attacks that bible-believers are experiencing
in growing numbers of nations.
During the famine in Judea in Acts
11:28-30, the disciples in other regions seem to have actually been
primarily concerned for the believers in the land
[18].
It is notable that the ‘Great Commission’ made no reference to social activism – only spiritual.
We
are called actively to bless those unbelievers who live very
close to us. This includes people who have committed themselves to
us in a significant way (e.g. because they work for us, or rent
property from us). But the point about the ‘good Samaritan’ (Luke
10:29-37) is not that everyone is our “neighbour”. For a
start, the Samaritans were half-Jews who also lived in the land of
Israel – i.e. they were related to, and identified themselves with,
God’s People. The ‘good Samaritan’ was more eligible to be treated
as a neighbour than the hypocritical ‘leaders’ of God’s People because he was good
[19].
The emphasis on loving the brethren first
and foremost is repeatedly given in Scripture: “Love the brotherhood. Fear God” (1 Peter 2:17). See also John 15:12-19; 1
Thessalonians 3:12 and all of 1 John 3. Christ reinforced this point in
Matthew 25:34-40 (c.f. Matthew 12:48-50 and Joel 3:2). If we, the
beloved, fervently love one another (as per 1 John 4:7-12; 1 Peter
1:22; and 2 John 1:5), then the result will be to draw unbelievers
to Christ (John 13:34-35). This is what they most need.
We must be certain of God’s will for us over a
given social situation before launching in, however good our
intentions may be. Many Christians go on humanitarian aid trips
that have negligible evangelistic content. Like anything else,
active social help without the Lord’s specific direction is
bound to do nothing but harm to the Kingdom.
For example,
God sometimes brings distress upon nations so as to humble them and
encourage them to cry out to Him – and find Him. If they have a
man-made safety net, we may well not just be propping up ungodly
regimes, but actually keeping people from seeking the Lord and being
saved – see Acts 17:26-27. Man’s good intentions frequently get in
the way of God’s higher purposes – as exemplified in Matthew
16:21-23. The proper way for a nation to be healed is given in 2
Chronicles 7:14.
Even when there is evangelistic preaching
alongside our philanthropy, we must avoid the temptation to ‘bribe’
people into the Kingdom, as this is very unlikely to make true
converts. Christ was loving toward the Samaritan woman, but He was
more interested in giving her spiritual aid than physical.
(Indeed, He requested physical aid from her.)
We need to be wise about the extremely
impressive social works that some Catholics undertake; even devoting
many years of their lives to very moving causes around the world.
People are prepared to do amazing things when they believe that
their very salvation – and not just the duration of their
time in “Purgatory” – relies upon works. (The Pharisees too
were zealous and tithed generously and went to huge lengths to make
converts (Matthew 23:15). And members of other works-based religions
(e.g. Mormons or JWs) can be similarly devout and selfless. This is not
the test of a true believer.)
The question we should ask ourselves is
whether these works are God-ordained or rather the result of man’s
ideas – in which case they are not serving the Kingdom but are
actually getting in the way of God’s true calling for the person
doing them. In fact, ‘good works’ by Catholics end up promoting the
heretical Roman Church and serving its long-term goal of deluding
“all nations” (Revelation 18:23). None of those helped is actually taught
the true gospel. Catholics are simply providing temporal
balm before con-signing the person to eternal doom. Where is the
‘good’ in that?
Jesuit Activity
The Jesuits are
not history. They are alive and well and still determinedly
carrying out the work they were originally formed to do. In
fact, Pope Francis I, elected in March 2013 following the resignation
of Benedict XVI, is a Jesuit - the first Jesuit Pope. The
following information may be a little difficult to accept, but it is
fact nonetheless, and can easily be confirmed if the reader wishes
to do so:
|
“Cardinal Manning, leader of
Catholicism in England at the end of the 19th century and
a staunch supporter of Papal infallibility in 1870, spoke to the
Jesuit ‘fathers’ in stirring fashion, calling them to battle and
unmistakably laying out the strategy and plan of attack for the 20th
century: ‘Great is the prize for which you strive. Surely a
soldier’s eye and a soldier’s heart would choose by intuition this
field of England. None ampler or nobler could be found. It is
an head of Protestantism, the centre of its movements
and the stronghold of its power. Weakened in England,
it is paralysed elsewhere. Conquered in England, it is
conquered throughout all the world. Once overthrown here, all
else is but a war of detail. All the roads of the world meet in one
point, and this point reached, all the world is open to the
Church’s will’”
[20].
“Jesuits, or at least those with
Jesuit training, for the first time in our history, are in the most
influential leadership roles; as … broadcasters, as chaplains in
Britain’s top schools, and educational establishments and as
speakers, teachers and organizers among the leading parachurch
organizations…”
[21]. |
The Catholic
Renewal Movement and Ecumenism
Consider also this
quote:
| “Another former pupil of top Jesuit school,
Stoneyhurst College, is leading English Charismatic Charles
Whitehead. In his testimony … he has revealed and affirmed
his Jesuit background
… [He] heads the Catholic
Charismatic organization in Britain and also for Northern
Europe, for which he regularly reports to the Vatican. His parachurch
activities … have greatly influenced many Protestant
leaders, who have been led in an ecumenical direction by
him” [22]. |
We must emphasize
that we are not to be deceived into accepting any arguments
in support of Rome, no matter how subtle or clever they are, if they
do not line up with Scripture…
For example, as we
noted
here, many Protestants have been seduced by Catholic Charismaticism into believing that God is changing Rome and that we
must likewise work with her. This deception has been fuelled by the
dishonest way in which Rome’s charismatics spent the first 25 years
of their movement hiding the fact that their ‘Holy’ Spirit leads
them deeper into, rather than rescuing them out of, Rome’s heresies
[23].
Even then, clear statements were kept for Catholic audiences alone.
Let us consider Tom Forrest. At the time he made the following
speech he was already the head of the entire Catholic Charismatic
Renewal movement:
|
“Our job is to make
people as … fully Christian as we can … by bringing them into the Catholic Church … [Y]ou
don’t just invite someone to be a
Christian. You invite them to become Catholics … Why
should this be so important? … First of all, there are seven sacraments, and the
Catholic Church has all
seven…
“We don’t just have the
Eucharist as a symbol of the body and blood of Christ. On our
altars we have the body of Christ; we drink the blood
of Christ; Jesus is alive on our altars … [Rome
also has the] sacrament of anointing the sick … [which]
opens the doors of paradise and deals even with the temporal
punishment due our sins. What a sacrament! What a Church! … As
Catholics we have Mary: and that mom of ours, Queen of Paradise, is
praying for us … As Catholics we have the papacy … the rock upon
which Christ did build his church … Our job is … evangelizing
everyone we can into the Catholic Church”
[24]. |
The spirit behind the Jesuits, and behind the
Catholic charismatic movement they guide, is a very different spirit
from God’s.
|
“Their [Jesuits’]
sincerity and the courage of their convictions in relation to their
cause is not to be questioned. This is the very thing that
makes the situation so dangerous and why it is vital that ‘the
watchman sound the alarm’. The aim of the Papacy and its secret
army is as it always has been, to gain world domination and
every human subject to it. The ecumenical movement was not founded
on the free evangelical message of Christ and the outpouring of the
Holy Spirit, but was spawned in the dark corridors of the Vatican by
the Jesuit General Bea. This movement is the latest
expression of that system, spoken of in Scripture, which will be
destroyed [by God Himself] according to … Revelation 17:16-18”
[25].
“Cardinal Bea, who was
Pope Pius XII’s personal confessor and a close advisor to several
other popes, saw the blossoming Charismatic movement as a vehicle for RC’s ecumenical goals. The Cardinal sought out David DuPlessis (known as ‘Mr. Pentecost’), whom he invited to the Second
Vatican Council. DuPlessis and other leading Pentecostals and
Charismatics accepted gladly and became Rome’s unwitting pawns.
Thus began a growing acceptance of Catholicism by Protestant Charismatics. Today’s [Protestant] Charismatic movement is a
major bridge to Rome”
[26]. |
We
must beware
of any group that acts as a stepping-stone to Rome, rather than as a
force standing against it and for the truth.
So Negative
We acknowledge that some of our readers will accuse this material of being
‘negative’, although the word doesn’t appear in Scripture. The fact
is that, if dangers exist which threaten God’s beloved “little
flock” then the ‘sheep’ need to be alerted to them. There is
nothing negative about warning the People of God of hidden traps or
wolves in sheep’s clothing or other dangers that could lead them
away from the Good Shepherd. It is the damaging, deceptive
teachings and practices we expose that are the truly negative
things. We highlight false teachings. In truth, is it we or is it
those promoting heresy who are the ‘negative’ ones?
If
people insist that anything which alerts them to perilous teachings
or dangerous movements is automatically negative, then God’s Word is
frequently negative. Jeremiah, full of the Holy Ghost, was
immensely ‘negative’, as were Hosea, Ezekiel, and many other
prophets – despite the fact that they were inspired by God to write
these highly ‘negative’ things. It was actually the
compromised individuals among the people who foolishly rejected these prophets
for being ‘negative’. We would suggest that the truly
negative people are those who negate God’s Word.
Evangelism
The following is a quote from a speech given by Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones to
fellow evangelicals in 1967 at Keele Conference:
|
“I remind you that the
Protestant Reformers were not just bigoted zealots or fools. Their
eyes were opened by the Holy Spirit: Luther, Calvin, Knox, all of
them. They saw this horrible monstrosity depicted in the Bible and
were warning against it. At the risk of even losing their lives they
stood up and protested. They confronted Rome, … The Roman Church is
a counterfeit, a sham, it represents prostitution of the
worst and most diabolical kind. It is indeed a form of the
antichrist; it is to be rejected and denounced, but, above all, it is to be countered. And there is only one thing that can
counter it and that is a Biblical, doctrinal Christianity.
“A Christianity that
merely preaches ‘Come to Christ’ or ‘Come to Jesus’ cannot
stand before Rome. Probably what that will do ultimately, will
be to add to the numbers belonging to Rome.
People
who hold evangelistic campaigns and say, Are you Roman
Catholics? Go back to your church’, are denying New Testament teaching. We must warn them”
[27]. |
The apostle Peter, whom the See of Rome
erroneously believes to be
the rock upon which the Catholic Church
was built, wrote to his fellow believers to warn them of false
teachers who would infiltrate the Christian faith:
|
“But there were false
prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false
teachers among you, who privily shall bring in
damnable heresies, even denying the Sovereign Lord that
bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction. And many shall follow their
pernicious ways; by reason of
whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of … whose judgment
now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation
slumbereth not” (2 Peter 2:1-3). |
In our article on
the
Reformation we quoted the brave and hopeful cry of
Bishop Latimer to his fellow martyr, Bishop Ridley, as they prepared
to face the flames rather than deny the Sovereign Lord Who bought
them. Tragically, the candle they lit is indeed being snuffed
out; trodden underfoot in the foolish ecumenical effort to bring the Protestant Church back under
the yoke of Rome.
| “Our noble
Reformers bought the truth at the price of their own
blood, and handed it down to us. Let us take heed that
we do not basely sell it for a mess of pottage,
under the specious names of unity and peace"
[28].
“The unity [between
Protestants and Catholics] which is being forged is not that of
John 17:21 but of Revelation 17:13: ‘These have one mind, and
shall give their power and strength unto the beast.’ ...
There simply isn’t any middle ground. Catholics have ever
been crystal clear
about that: ‘The Roman Church is either
the masterpiece of Satan or the Kingdom of the Son of God.’
insisted Cardinal Manning. His contemporary and colleague, Cardinal
Newman was just as emphatic: ‘A sacerdotal order (of priesthood) is
historically the essence of the Church of Rome; if not
divinely appointed, it is doctrinally the
essence of antichrist’”
[29]. |
So, is ecumenism – unity with the Roman Catholic Church – in
accord with the Word of God? Is God indeed breaking down the
denominational barriers as a growing number of Protestants are
assuring us He is? Should we sweep away the Protestant Reformation,
as various ecumenical movements are trying to persuaded us to do?
Should we shut our
eyes and ears to the martyrs of the Reformation whom God used so
mightily and fearlessly to break the awful shackles of that dreadful
“synagogue of Satan”? Should we forget the deaths of thousands upon
thousands of evangelical believers through the long dark centuries
in the medieval period before the Reformation – and the deaths of
millions in the centuries since? Should we shut up our hearts to
the billion souls still in bondage to Rome’s heinous, perverse
doctrines, looking the other way as they plummet into a lost
eternity? How can we?
|
“This ecumenical evangelism has
provided fertile ground to rebuild the religious tower of Babel.
Multitudes are being influenced by perverted gospels, doctrines of
demons and false teachers. Many more are being persuaded by highly
visible evangelicals to join the crusade. It is no surprise that the
Roman Catholic Church has been the driving force behind this
ecumenical movement since the close of Vatican Council II.
“No longer able to force
people to submit to its popes under the threat of death and
persecution, the Vatican has changed its strategy to win the
world. Wearing a new face of love and concern for the
‘separated brethren’, she is now calling all Protestants back home
to the ‘one true church’. Tragically, many pulpits are
incredibly silent regarding the numerous scriptural warnings
against being yoked with unbelievers”
[30]. |
Media
Objectivity
This misguided view of Rome is fostered in the media; but it
shouldn’t be helped by the evangelical church! If one wants further
proof that Rome is headed by the god of this world, one need only
look at the press and other media and how they portray her.
Films
often show the Catholic faith in a good light, or as harmless;
almost every
major cinematic reference to Roman Catholicism is
affirmative
[31]. Where the reference is negative,
the slur is almost always against ‘Christianity’ generally rather than against the Roman
church specifically
[32].
Television programming
and news reporting is usually similarly biased
[33].
The BBC's coverage of the resignation of Benedict XVI in February
2013, for example, was at least as extensive as that for the
retirement of Rowan Williams, Archbishop of Canterbury, just six
weeks earlier; the reporter inaccurately declaring in hushed and
reverential tones that the pope was "the leader of the universal
church"
[34].
Even more obeisant was the extended BBC news coverage a month later
when the new (Jesuit) pope, Francis I, was announced; reference was
again made to him as the "leader of the universal church", as
well as an "absolute monarch",
and viewers were, again inaccurately, informed that the first pope was Peter
whom Jesus said was the rock upon whom the church would be built"
[35].
Similarly, at the beginning of March, the first item on the
BBC evening news informed viewers that due to illness the Queen
would be cancelling all her engagements for the coming week; none of
which was specified except her visit to Rome which was mentioned
twice in the report
[36].
More generally, whenever some tragedy occurs, newscasters speak of
those affected ‘praying for the dead’; the ‘Pope’ himself is
invariably praised, regardless of what his institution has done; and Papal comments on a given
piece of news are often given priority over any comments from a
Protestant cleric – even in Protestant countries.
Exceptions are very rare and really do ‘prove the rule’.
Likewise the press are often pro-Rome.
Journalists seem to have a miraculously short, and very selective,
memory when it comes to her behaviour. Rome's true history is frequently swept under the
carpet
[37].
Horrendous abuses happening today (e.g. by priests against
children) are often hushed up unless they become huge in number
[38]
(or, as is now happening, increasing numbers of victims are finding
the courage to speak out making it impossible for the media to fail
to address the issue).
Even government cover-ups of such abuses (as have happened
in Ireland) enjoy press acquiescence. Seldom the treatment meted
out to Protestants!
Given the slant
of the media, the world may have an excuse for being ignorant about
Rome. Elders in our churches do not.
Semper Eadem
Like a chameleon, Rome changes her colour to blend into the
surroundings, thereby fooling people into thinking she is something
other than she really is.
But she remains (self-confessedly) the same creature nonetheless.
Rome actually insists that she is ‘semper eadem’ – i.e. ‘always
the same’.
|
“[W]e must avoid the interesting
but relatively fruitless anecdotal approach to the understanding of
the Roman Catholic Church. That is, ‘Well, I have this wonderful
Catholic neighbour, and the way he talks, you know, I believe he’s
really saved. I’m sure the church is really changing.’ Or, ‘You
know, in our town there’s a priest who has taken all the statues and
images out of his church. And he has started reading the Bible with
his youth group. There’s a real turn to the Bible in the Catholic
Church today’ ... Any living thing is constantly in movement,
but this doesn’t mean … that it is automatically becoming something different…”
[39].
“Rome does not change her
dogmas [for the better]. She alters her style certainly
but not her substance. Her face changes; she is very
different in different countries. In England she adopts a high moral
tone, represented in the Media as being firmer than that of any
other ‘part of the Church’ … In countries where Roman Catholicism’s
grip is surer, standards do not rise so high. In Uganda, Haiti and
the Philippines … Roman Catholicism is fully integrated into
local paganism and the Gospel totally obscured within it.
In the Philippines, missionaries regularly have a glimpse of the
other face of Catholicism which is not to be seen in England”
[40]. |
Rome herself admits she hasn’t changed
and won’t change. We are not called to try to change
her; it is many centuries too late for that, and anyway she was
destined to be this way
[41].
We are not even to work with her. The reason Ezekiel did not know
of the abominations taking place amongst the so-called believers in
his day was that he rightly avoided mixing with apostates. We are
to expose Rome’s filthiness just as the original Protestants did
[42],
and we are to try to rescue any to whom the Lord leads us who are
still tangled therein:
|
“Beloved, remember ye the words
which were spoken before of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ;
How that they told you there should be mockers in the last time, who
should walk after their own ungodly lusts … But ye, beloved,
building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in
the Holy Ghost, … of some have compassion, making a difference: And
others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire; hating
even the garment spotted by the flesh” (Jude 1:17-23). See also
Ezekiel 3:17-19; Ezekiel 33:2-5; and James 5:19-20. |
We must not compromise the “most
holy” faith. We are to have
the mind of Christ and are to be joined together only with
those of the same mind:
| “Watch ye, stand fast in
the
faith, [ac]quit you like men, be strong” (1 Corinthians 16:13);
“[W]e have the mind of Christ” (1 Corinthians 2:16);
“…be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in
the same judgment” (1 Corinthians
1:10b). See also Jude 1:3! |
Over the centuries
the Roman Catholic Church has proved that she is not of the
same mind as the Lord Jesus Christ and His apostles. She cannot
repent, she cannot be saved – and Scripture confirms this:
|
“We would have healed
Babylon, but she is not healed: forsake her, and let
us go every one into his own country: for her judgment reacheth
unto Heaven, and is lifted up even to the skies” (Jeremiah
51:9).
“Babylon the great is fallen, is
fallen, and is become the habitation of devils ... Come out of
her, My people,
that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her
plagues. For her sins have reached unto Heaven, and God hath
remembered her iniquities … for in one hour is [her]
judgment come … by [her] sorceries were all nations
deceived. And in her was found the blood of prophets, and of saints,
and of all that were slain upon the earth…
“And after these things I heard a
great voice of much people in Heaven, saying, Alleluia; Salvation,
and glory, and honour, and power, unto the Lord our God: For true
and righteous are His judgments: for He hath judged the great
whore, which did corrupt the earth with her fornication,
and hath avenged the blood of His servants at her hand.
And again they said, Alleluia. And her smoke rose up for ever and
ever. And the four and twenty elders and the four beasts fell
down and worshipped God that sat on the throne, saying, Amen;
Alleluia. And a voice came out of the throne, saying, Praise our
God, all ye His servants, and ye that fear Him, both small and
great” (Revelation 18:1-19:5). |
Conclusion
We have had to say some extremely tough things in this
article. We encourage every reader to follow up on this
material. We earnestly desire that readers be as informed as
possible about this crucial matter and that they check what we say
before rejecting (or indeed accepting) it.
Let us finish by
completing the above quotation from Revelation 19, for it gives us a
beautiful glimpse of the true Bride and her reward for her
purity:
|
“And I heard as it were the voice
of a great multitude, and as the voice of many waters, and as the
voice of mighty thunderings, saying, Alleluia: for the Lord God
omnipotent reigneth. Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to
Him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and His wife hath made
herself ready. And to her was granted that she should be arrayed
in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is
the righteousness of saints. And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the
Lamb … These are the true sayings of God” (Revelation 19:6-9, KJV). |
Endnotes
[1]
Nicky Gumbel, The Alpha Course,
Talk 14, Edn. 2.1 (italicized emphases in original).
[2]
Gumbel, Alpha, Talk 9, Edn. 2.1.
[4]
This is an interesting claim. Rome’s usual excuse for
dealing so complacently with the abuse of children committed
by her priests in the past is that these activities preceded
the world’s awareness of the problem and its terrible
consequences. But if Rome has “all of God’s revealed truth”
then she should have known these things long ago – and would
certainly have been aware that the problem could not be
solved simply by moving the priest elsewhere.
[5]
The phrase “the means of grace” is a euphemism for
‘good works which earn grace’ – yet the whole point about
grace is that it is undeserved and cannot be earned.
[6]
Cardinal Basil Hume, Towards A Civilisation Of Love, quoted in Michael de Semlyen,
Was The Reformation A
Mistake? (audio tape, Spirit of ’88).
[7]
Aristide Brunello, Professor in the Superior Institute of Ecumenical Theology, Quoted in William Standridge,
What's Happening in the Roman Church? A Report from Rome,
(Independent Faith Mission, 1975), p24.
[8]
A
Catechism of Christian Doctrine,
(Catholic Truth Society, imprimatur, 1971), p17. For
several more such quotes from Roman Popes and other
officials, see Cathy Burns, Billy Graham and His Friends,
(Sharing, 2001), pp444-7.
[11]
Walter M. Abbott, S.J., Ed., The Documents of Vatican II,
(Geoffrey Chapman, 1966),
Ecumenism, point 3, p346. (Note that
Abbott was a Jesuit.)
[12]
Abbott,
Documents,
point 4,
p347.
[13]
‘Father’ Michael Scanlan is another leader within the
Catholic Charismatic movement.
[15]
Note that, with regard to abortion, it must be recognized
that Rome’s only reason for opposing it (as with all
forms of artificial contraception) is to increase the size –
and hence income and influence – of the Roman Church. An
added benefit for Rome is that its stand against abortion
deceives true believers into thinking Rome actually cares
about unborn life; but even a cursory glance through Foxe or
Avro Manhattan proves that not to be so. Pregnant
Protestant women in Ireland and elsewhere have been murdered
in the name of Rome along with their unborn children.
All too reminiscent of 2 Kings 8:12 and Amos 1:13.
[16]
Rome is the main instrument in the enemy’s hands here.
Outwardly she promotes peace between governments, nations,
and religions, while behind the scenes her Jesuits and their
minions foment discord and aggression so that a war–weary
world will gladly accept a false peace. See, for example,
The Secret History of the Jesuits by
Edmond Paris on our
Recommended Reading page for
details of this aspect of Jesuit activity.
[17]
Other groups who have served the persecuted church over the
years include ‘Open Doors’, ‘The Barnabus Fund’ and ‘Release
International’. They have published very valuable
information over the years, although recently
compromises appear to be creeping in to one or two of these
groups.
[18]
When Scripture refers to giving materially to “the poor” in
the Old Testament, it always referred to the poor living
in the land of Israel (Deuteronomy 15:7-11; Exodus 23:11; Psalm
72:1-4, 132:13-15; Isaiah 3:14-15, 10:2 etc). Today this
means the People of God and those who identify
themselves very closely with them. This puts a very
different complexion on New Testament references to helping
“the poor”. A fine example of this principle appears in
Romans 15:26. Likewise, the word “strangers” in this
context is an Old Testament reference to Gentiles who identified with,
and lived alongside, Israel (e.g. see Deuteronomy 31:11), thus a
New Testament verse calling us to bless “strangers” primarily refers to
those who identify with God’s People. It is worth noting
that God never commanded Israel to go on humanitarian
missions outside her borders.
[19]
The more accurate term for this Samaritan is ‘compassionate’
– see v33.
[20]
Edward Sheridan Purcell,
Life of Cardinal Manning,
quoted in Michael de Semlyen, All Roads Lead To Rome? The
Ecumenical Movement, (Dorchester House
Publications, 1993),
pp137-138. (It may be instructive to note at this point
that the great majority of European nations now making up
the European Union, were – and still are – Catholic. Hence
the design of the EU flag: 12 five-pointed stars on a blue
background – a Catholic emblem which refers to ‘Mary’.
Indeed, the very name “Europa” is a moniker of the
Babylonian goddess that Rome calls “Mary”. See The
Principality And Power Of Europe by Adrian Hilton on our
Recommended Reading
page for the
integral spiritual and political relationship between the
Vatican and the European Union).
[21]
Catholic Research Information Bureau, quoted in
de Semlyen,
All Roads? p138. In Napoleon’s Memoirs, he
wrote: “The Jesuits are a military organization, not a religious order … and the aim of this organization
is: POWER. Power in its most despotic exercise … Jesuitism
is the most absolute of despotisms: and at the same time the
greatest and most enormous of abuses” [Fifty
Years in the Church of Rome,
as quoted in Eric Jon Phelps, Vatican Assassins, (Halcyon Unified Services, 2000),].
[22]
de Semlyen,
All Roads?, p135.
[23]
This has even been admitted (albeit with a degree of
understatement) by Michael Harper, a supporter of the
Catholic Charismatic movement. He has written “The
Charismatic Renewal does not have a particularly good
track record when it comes to concern for truth … it
has tended … to ignore truth … and side-track
many of the big issues” [Charismatic
Crisis,
1980, as quoted in de Semlyen, All Roads?, pp26-27].
[24]
Tom Forrest, Saturday morning training session for Roman
Catholics at Indianapolis ’90, as quoted in de
Semlyen, All Roads?., pp28-29.
[25]
Catholic Research Information Bureau, quoted in
de Semlyen, All Roads?,
pp138-139.
[26]
Dave Hunt,
Global Peace And The Rise Of Antichrist,
(Harvest House Publishers, 1990),
p153.
[27]
Martin Lloyd-Jones, quoted in Michael de Semylen,
Ecumenism: Where is it Leading Us? Unity, Peace and Rome,
(Dorchester House Publications, 1989), p48.
[28]
J.C. Ryle, Warnings to the Churches,
(The Banner of Truth Trust, 1967), p128.
[29]
de Semylen, Ecumenism, pp57& 59.
[30]
Mike Gendron (ex-Roman Catholic),
Let No One Deceive You
with Ecumenical Evangelism, in Adullam News, June
1999, p7.
[31]
The film The Cardinal was a particularly brazen
promotion of Rome’s dogmas through mainstream cinema.
[32]
When the scale of a Romish wickedness is simply too great
for the media to be able to keep quiet about it, the Catholic faith of those involved is downplayed. The
perpetrators are usually simply called ‘Christians’ and so
the Lord and His true Church are brought into disrepute.
(See the book Smokescreens by Jack Chick on our
Recommended Reading page for more
examples and insights on the media’s relationship to Rome.)
[33]
TV programmes biasedly draw much more attention to
Protestant mistreatment of Catholics than the other way
around – and invariably play down the context behind it.
[34]
BBC1, 6pm News Programme, 17 February
2013.
[35]
BBC1, 6pm News Programme; BBC2, 7pm BBC
News Special; BBC 24 hour News Channel,
13 March 2013.
[36]
BBC1, 6pm News Programme, 3 March 2013.
[37]
A representative example of media bias
towards Babylonianism
and against Protestantism, picked completely at random, is
the October 2002 issue of the BBC’s History Magazine.
This publication supposedly seeks to “maintain the high
journalistic standards traditionally associated with the
BBC” [p5]. Their summer debate was hosted by a Catholic
[p6]; an enormous article praises monasticism [pp12-15]; the
huge cover article pleads for the preservation of Babylonian
shrines and temples and statues of female “divinities” etc
in Cambodia which Catholic France tried to restore in the 19th
century [pp22-26]; another long article whitewashes the true
composition, and truly unspeakable acts, of the Catholic
Ustashi in WWII, and the behaviour of Pius XII who allowed
Hitler to operate unhindered [pp42-45]; and yet another
article hides the dreadful truth about Rome’s Opus Dei
organization [p45]. A book is promoted which teaches that
“the ‘Chosen People’ were the Egyptians” rather than
Israel, and that Moses was not a Hebrew [p1]; there
is a special offer organized by the BBC to visit an
exhibition of idolatrous pagan art [p66]; and almost every
page conceals Rome’s dark and foundational hand behind the
topic in question (e.g. the slavery in the Southern states
of the U.S. [pp11,33], Tyndale’s martyrdom [p10], Elizabeth
I’s difficulties [pp58,60] and the English Civil War
[p60]). The ‘balance’ is provided by a solitary review of a
TV show about Luther [p67]. Even here Rome is called “the
church” and Luther’s work is described as defining “the
limits of papal power” rather than rejecting the papacy
wholesale. According to this magazine “What history shows
us is that believers’ actions are not dictated by
eternal faith or static scriptures…” [p8].
But what the BBC History Magazine shows us is that
media actions today are dictated by Rome.
[38]
Jeremy Paxman is a famously hard-hitting UK television
journalist, yet his interview with Cormack Murphy O’Connor,
on a 2003 Newsnight programme regarding priestly abuse of
children, was a laughably gentle and fawning piece of work.
[39]
Standridge,
What's Happening?, p7.
[40]
de Semlyen,
Ecumenism, pp16-17.
[41]
Some folks imagine that Romanists like
the late Basilea
Schlink (who made statements which appeared to indicate she
was a genuine follower of Christ trying to help Rome to
change direction from within) prove that Rome produces some
real believers and is not beyond hope. They are being
fooled. Schlink, and her organization (the ‘Evangelical
Sisters of Mary’), have been shown – by two ex-members – to
be a deliberate deception for this very purpose [Marianne
Jansson & Riitta Lemmetyinen, Wenn Mauern Fallen…, (Christliche
Literatur-Verbreitung, 1997).]
[42]
It is so vital to learn from history,
else we consign the church to making the
same mistakes over and over.
Because the spirit world exists, history
does indeed repeat itself. We can
learn much from past errors made by
believers – not least from the accounts
in Scripture.
Elizabeth
McDonald
March 2013
©
Bayith Ministries
http://www.bayith.org
bayith@blueyonder.co.uk
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