What is being said is about “the faith” expressed in Luke 18:8? “Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?”

Strong's Concordance gives “the faith” as: “The conviction of the truth of anything, belief; in the NT of a conviction or belief respecting man’s relationship to God and divine things, generally with the included idea of trust and holy fervour born of faith and joined with it.” The Vatican claim is that this sort of relationship is presumption, and many Protestants likewise have no assurance. There is a huge body of evidence that Christianity was established in Britain in the first century, and that England was declared to be a Christian country before there was any Pope or declaration of the office of a Universal Pontiff in the fourth century. Some consider Emperor Constantine (of English extraction) to be in that position, but the first Bishop of Rome was Linus, (mentioned in 2 Timothy 4:2) who was appointed by the Apostle Paul. Linus was also English.

The “battle of Britain” still goes on as it has from Roman times:

"IT IS A TIME OF WAR, REMEMBER, WE HAVE SET OURSELVES TO WIN BACK ENGLAND TO ROME. THIS MEANS WAR. PROTESTANTISM, WHETHER HIGH, LOW, BROAD OR DISSENTING, IS THE ENEMY, AND WE MUST OPPOSE IT" (From the Catholic Standard And Ransomer. Cardinal Hume in Britain now talks openly of “the conversion of England.”)

It is popular to say, “We are all really one church” suggesting inclusion of the Roman Catholic Church and that all should work and fellowship together, presenting a united front to society. Even if there are doctrinal differences, it is thought in a sentimental way that we all should show love in a friendly non-confrontational way. It is not so. We cannot save without confrontation, and making a stand.

This article shows that doctrinal statements of the Roman Catholic Church are “vain words” and “works of darkness”. We are told, in Ephesians 5:6,7,11, “Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience. Be not ye therefore partakers with them” and “And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them”. “Have no fellowship” means no fellowship at all, and “rather reprove them” means confrontation. Reprove (“elegcho"), according to Strong's Concordance means to convict, refute, confute, generally with a suggestion of shame of the person convicted, or by conviction to bring to the light, to expose, or to find fault with, to reprehend severely, chide, admonish, reprove. This is quite a different thing than keeping company with unbelievers which Paul talks about in 1 Corinthians 5:9. “Fellowship” and “company” are quite different words with differing meanings.

Remember Paul confronting Peter and doing this publicly? “But when I saw that they walked not uprightly according to the truth of the gospel, I said unto Peter before them all”. We see that this problem has existed right from the start, although few Roman Catholics would admit that Peter was in error early in the piece. The “truth of the Gospel” is the issue. So what is the essential difference between the two gospels, "grace" and "sacraments"?

The Roman Catholic gospel idea that “Jesus is Savior” means to them that the Messiah is a progressive moral influence entered into through infant baptism, whereas through regeneration the true Protestant believes trusts in direct imputation of righteousness whereby he is then justified, the wrath of YEHOVAH God having been poured out upon the Messiah instead of on the sinner.

Romans 4:23-25: “Now it was not written for his sake alone, that it was imputed to him; But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead; Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification”.

There is no agreement possible between these two understandings. This Gospel is not up for negotiation, even at the expense of relationships or unity. Where Protestant Pastors or others seek to publicly co-operate on moral, community and social issues, to give the appearance of a united front against the public evils, this gives the appearance of compromise, a technique sought by the Vatican to seduce all into believing that both sides are actually “Christian”.

When Paul spoke “in the defense and confirmation of the gospel,” (Galatians 3:8) he said that this Gospel was the same Gospel that was preached to Abraham who was justified by faith. Abraham was a man who obeyed YEHOVAH God. who would, “keep the way of the LORD, to do justice and judgment” (Genesis 18:19).

John Paul II has also stated that the Second Vatican Council “...recognized that in [all] diverse religious traditions there is something true and good, the seeds of the Word. It encouraged Christ's disciples to discover 'the riches which a generous God has distributed among the nations.'"

Note the reference to "human living". What is absent is redemption and forgiveness!

“Christians and Moslems, we meet one another in faith in the one God'...[and] strive to put into practice the teaching of our respective holy books."

Both of these are mono-theistic and have agreement in this respect, but both have a non-Biblical deception in that they do not allow the teaching of Romans 3:24 “Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus”.

"[As Christ's Vicar] I express my joy that God has distributed these [religious] gifts among you”

One of the world's most influential Hindu leaders, Sri Chinmoy, known as "the guru of the United Nations" (where he holds twice-weekly meditations for staff), has been praised by more than one pope. Chinmoy's 80-plus meditation centers around the world have led millions into Hinduism's darkness, yet John Paul II considers him a friend and co-worker and has greeted him thus:

“Special blessings to you...[and] to your members. We shall continue together.”

Pope Paul IV told Chimnoy, “ The Hindu life and the Christian life shall go together. Your message and my message are the same."

By the way, Sri Chirunoy is a frequent companion and spiritual adviser to Mikhail Gorbachev and his “one world” foundation. We could paraphrase these statements about the Pope being one with all religions as being an indication of his ideal of being head of a future composite world religion, and then according to Statement One below all would belong the what he terms “the church of Jesus Christ”. There are Protestants, so-called, who go along with this vaguely justifying themselves saying, "Well, we all worship the one God”, forgetting that there is “another spirit and another gospel” (2 Corinthians 11:4). We read in verse 14, “For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their work”.

Recent press reports say that the Pope is calling for a re-uniting of East and West, of the “Christian”, Jewish, Hindu and Moslem, emphasizing the prime place of Mary in all this.

Teaming up with the Roman Catholic Church in the effort to create one giant world religion is an all-star cast of Protestant luminaries. At the top of the list is none other than Dr. Billy Graham. He is unquestionably the most prominent and influential so-called Protestant leader in the United States, and perhaps the world. But he is not really Protestant at all! Dr. Graham fully supports the Pope's “Christian” leadership and backs up his statements to all who will listen! Being well acquainted with the Pope, Dr. Graham refers to him as the "World's greatest moral leader and greatest evangelist." After being particularly moved by a Papal speech given in Boston, he said of the Pope, "Thank God I've got somebody to quote now with some real authority." The admiration was mutual. The Catholic Church was so fond of Mr. Graham (who subsequently became Dr. Graham) that they awarded him an honorary doctorate from the Roman Catholic College, Belmont Abbey, in 1967. He told his audience that “the Gospel that founded this college is the same Gospel which I preach today”. That Dr. Graham's theology is pure Masonic/Neo-Catholic is obvious from many of his speeches. He recently stated:

“I think everybody that loves Christ, or knows Christ, whether they're conscious of it or not, they're members of the Body of Christ....whether they come from the Muslim world, or the Buddhist world, or the Christian world, or the non-believing world, they are members of the Body of Christ, because they've been called by God. They may not even know the name of Jesus, but they know in their hearts that they need something that they don't have, and they turn to the only light that they have, and I think they are saved, and that they're going to be with us in heaven."

Universalism denies the Messiah’s work before men. “But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven” (Matthew10:33). With such a universal doctrine there will be no “fear of God” in the “converts” (Romans 3:18 and Psalm 36:1).

The Roman church does not make the Biblical separation between justification and sanctification, and many Protestants are going the same way, because many just do not want to know. It is thought that, because no man can be justified by the Law, that the Law of YEHOVAH God has no place in sanctification after a person has been justified. What is forgotten is the next step which is that of being sanctified and “pressing towards the mark….” Justification is where we make peace with God (Romans 5:1 “Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ").

Following this comes the process of sanctification and the Law of YEHOVAH God has a place in this. Romans 3:31, “Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid: yea, we establish the law”, and Romans 6:1 “What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?” confirms that sin is still the transgression of the Law, and that we cannot continue to transgress the unfulfilled part of the Law in order that Grace may abound still. The Messiah fulfilled the Laws of Ordinances and Sacrifices, that is, the part which pertained to ceremonies and sacrifices by his own sacrifice of himself. This part of the Law was, “nailed to his Cross” (tree). But, he did not do away with rest of the Law. Heaven and earth have not yet passed away.

Matthew 5:17: “Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill. For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.”

Any church that supports the equivalent of remaining always in the single state is not true to the Word, because the Word tells us in Hebrews 12:14, “Without holiness (i.e. sanctification) no man will see the Lord”. The process of sanctification involves the Law of YEHOVAH God, in the spirit. “The Law” is wrongly taken as meaning all law, including the law as a precept and principle, the laws of the Judaizer and the Pharisee, and even the Law of the Messiah. In Scripture we find professors wanting to add or subtract from the Word:

So, in shying away from these two, there is the risk of falling into the trap of disobedience to the precepts and commandments of YEHOVAH God. What happens then is involvement in a man-made religion of “worship” in which obedience to the Law has no place. The techniques used in the worship service are similar to those found in the entertainment world, the flesh emotions being stirred up putting them supposedly “in the spirit”, but they do not know what spirit they are of since, “And we are his witnesses of these things; and so is also the holy spirit, whom God hath given to them that obey him” (Acts 5:32).

In many ways Protestant churches are as bad as the Roman Catholic Church in that aspects of authority structure, doctrine, traditions and practice show that they are equally man-made. Traditions are established which involve church culture with church rules and observances which demand obedience to them rather than obedience to YEHOVAH God. In this they become a stumbling block to those who would “enter in”.

Luke 11:52: “Woe unto you, lawyers! For ye have taken away the key of knowledge: ye entered not in yourselves, and them that were entering in ye hindered. And as he said these things unto them, the scribes and the Pharisees began to urge him vehemently, and to provoke him to speak of many things”:

Revelation 12:17: “And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, AND have the testimony of Jesus Christ.”

Revelation 14:12: “Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, AND the faith of Jesus.”

The spirit of YEHOVAH God does not lead or convict outside of the Word of YEHOVAH God. And James says, “Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin”. There is no right to the Tree of Life other than seeking to keep what we know of His commandments as we can see in the next verse:

Revelation 22:14: “Blessed are they that do His commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.”

After “being justified”, in one of the nearly 4,000 "buts" of Scripture, there is a particular important "but":

1 John 1:7: “But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.”

Here the following gives us an idea of what it means to convert to or associate with YEHOVAH God's and the Messiah’s ENEMY. NO PROTESTANT CAN BE “COSY” WITH ROME AND THEIR “CHRIST”.

But note Matthew 23:8: “But be not ye called Rabbi: for one is your Master, even Christ; and all ye are brethren”.

But note in John 14:21 the Messiah says, “He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him”.

But note I Timothy 4:2 -11: “Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron; Forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe, and know the truth….These things command and teach”.

But note Ephesians 1:22, 23: “And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church, Which is his body, the fullness of him that filleth all in all”

(Wretched hypocrites claiming to be "another Christ”).

But note Mark 9:1-8: “And he said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That there be some of them that stand here, which shall not taste of death, till they have seen the kingdom of God come with power. And after six days Jesus taketh with him Peter, and James, and John, and leadeth them up into an high mountain apart by themselves: and he was transfigured before them. And his raiment became shining, exceeding white as snow; so as no fuller on earth can white them. And there appeared unto them Elias with Moses: and they were talking with Jesus. And one for Moses, and one for Elias. For he wist not what to say; for they were sore afraid. And there was a cloud that overshadowed them, and there came a voice out of heaven saying, This is my beloved son, hear him....”

But note Acts 10:25-26: “And as Peter was coming in, Cornelius met him, and fell down at his feet, and worshipped him. But Peter took him up, saying, Stand up; I myself also am a man.”

But note Romans 14:10-12: “But why dost thou judge thy brother? or why dost thou set at nought thy brother? for we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ. For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God. So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God.”

But note Acts 10:42, 43: “And he commanded us to preach unto the people, and to testify that it is he which was ordained of God to be the Judge of quick and dead. To him give all the prophets witness, that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins”.

But note Acts 13:38: “Be it known unto you therefore, men and brethren, that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins.”

But note I John 1:9: “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness”.

But note Philippians 2:9, 10: “Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth”.

But note John 10:1, 7, 9: “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber. Then said Jesus unto them again, Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep. I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.”

But note I Timothy 2:5-6: “For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time”.

But note John 10:9: “I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture”.

But note John 11:25: “Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:”

But note Romans 5:1: “Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:"

But note Ephesians. 2:8-9: “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast”.

But note 2 Timothy 1:9: “Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began”.

But note I John 1:7: “But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.”

But note 2 Corinthians 5:8: “We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord”.

Statement 21: “I constantly hold that there is a Purgatory, and that the souls therein detained are helped by the suffrages of the faithful" (Pope Pius IV, Credo, Art.6).

But note 1 John 1:9: “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness”.

But note I John 5:11: “And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son”.

(Despite the Messiah's example, Mark 7:1-13, “Full well ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your own tradition”).

But note, Luke 11:28: “But he said, Yea rather, blessed are they that hear the word of God, and keep it.”

But note, Acts 17:11: “These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so”.

But note, Mark 7:7-8: “Howbeit in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men. For laying aside the commandment of God, ye hold the tradition of men, as the washing of pots and cups: and many other such like things ye do”.

(Despite idolaters not entering heaven!, I Corinthians 6:9 -- “Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind”).

Statement 26: "The…Commandment does not forbid the making of images" (Canon Cafferata, "The Catechism", p. 84).

But note, Exodus 20:4: “Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth:"

But note, Ezekiel 6:3-4: “Behold, I, even I, will bring a sword upon you, and I will destroy your high places. And your altars shall be desolate, and your images shall be broken: and I will cast down your slain men before your idols”.

But note, 1 John 5:21: “Little children, keep yourselves from idols.”

(8) The Church Taking Precedence Over the Messiah

But note, Matthew 26:52: “Then said Jesus unto him, Put up again thy sword into his place: for all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword.”

But note, 1 Corinthians 1:1: “Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.”

But note, 1 John 5:21: “Little children, keep yourselves from idols. Amen.”

But note, Revelation 19:10: “And I fell at his feet to worship him. And he said unto me, See thou do it not: I am thy fellow servant, and of thy brethren that have the testimony of Jesus: worship God: for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.”

But note, Acts 10:26: “ But Peter took him up, saying, Stand up; I myself also am a man.”

(Despite Peter’s lowly opinion of himself. 1 Peter 5:1-3: “The elders which are among you I exhort, who am also an elder, and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed: Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind; Neither as being lords over God’s heritage, but being ensamples to the flock”).

But note, Matthew 23:8: “But be not ye called Rabbi: for one is your Master, even Christ; and all ye are brethren.”

But note, 1 Timothy 2:5: “For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;”

But note, Hebrews 9:15: “And for this cause he [the Messiah] is the mediator of the new testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance.”

But note, Hebrews 7:25: “Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.”

But note, Philippians 2:9-11: “Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”

-- Edited by John D. Keyser.

Hope of Israel Ministries -- Courage for the Sake of Truth is Far Better Than Silence for the Sake of Unity!

Hope of Israel Ministries P.O. Box 853 Azusa, CA 91702, U.S.A. www.hope-of-israel.org

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