Pope’s push for unity with Lutherans for 2017: Church of Sweden interest should prove to be a warning to all calling themselves Christian!
Church of Sweden Bishop Antje Jackelén (Boberger)
Pope Francis met with Lutheran leaders in his quest for ecumenical unity. Before getting to that, here is some of what Pope Francis taught in his homily today:
May 8, 2015
“A Church where its people are always arguing and there are lobbies and people are betraying their brothers and sisters, is a Church where there is no Holy Spirit!” Pope Francis made this strong statement today during his daily morning Mass at Casa Santa Marta, reported Vatican Radio. …
Discussions within the Church are to seek unity, the Pope said, noting they should not be places where people are always clashing, betraying each other and forming lobbies to win their argument.
The Holy Spirit, he said, has the power to create unity among all the members of the Church, for the Spirit brings change and moves things forward in the Church.
While acknowledging that sometimes this movement may at first appear to be confusion, Francis said that if the change or movement is welcomed with prayer and a spirit of dialogue, it always generates unity between Christians. http://www.zenit.org/en/articles/pope-s-morning-homily-a-church-with-clashing-is-one-without-holy-spirit
I do not believe that God’s Holy Spirit is behind the type of unity that Pope Francis is working towards. Notice the following he was involved with earlier this week:
Pope hopes 2017 Reformation anniversary will encourage Christian unity
May 6, 2015
Pope Francis says he hopes the 2017 anniversary of the Reformation, as well as a joint document by the Lutheran-Catholic commission for unity, will further encourage steps for Christian accord.
The Pope was referring to the Lutheran-Catholic unity document, “From Conflict to Communion” during a May 4 private meeting with Church of Sweden Archbishop Antje Jackelen. …
Francis said he hopes this initiative will encourage further steps toward unity, with God’s help, “and our collaboration with Him and one another,” Catholic News Agency reported.
On December 18, the general secretary of the Lutheran World Federation, Rev. Martin Junge, said relations between the Lutheran and Catholic churches have reached an epoch-making turning-point.
He spoke during preparations in Rome for the 500th anniversary of the Protestant Reformation in 2017 when Lutherans and Catholics are expected to cooperate in an act of Christian unity. …
Pope Francis said at his meeting with Archbishop Jackelen that Christians seeking unity should not be afraid to broach potential areas of disagreement such as marriage, family, and sexuality.
“All Catholic faithful” are invited “to take up, recognize the signs of the times, the way of unity for overcoming divisions among Christians,” the pontiff said during his audience with Jackelen.
He said division is not only in opposition “to the will of Christ, but is also a scandal to the world and causes damage to the holiest of causes: the preaching of the Gospel to every creature.” …
Born in Germany, Jackelen is the first female head of the Lutheran church in Sweden, and the nation’s first foreign archbishop since the 12th century. http://www.ecumenicalnews.com/article/pope-hopes-2017-reformation-anniversary-will-encourage-christian-unity-29564
So the Church of Rome is striving for unity with the Lutherans, continues to want to work together for 2017, and met with the primate of the Church of Sweden and discussed unity.
While, on the surface, some Roman Catholics will like that, consider, for example, some of the anti-Christian beliefs of the woman, Antje Jackelén, who is the Bishop of the Church of Sweden:
Jackelén has published several works which deal with the relationship between the natural sciences and religious faith, as well as the role of religion in modern society. Jackelén doesn’t believe in the virgin birth of Jesus. She has said that the virgin birth is a mythological term or a metaphor rather than an actual event. She endorses the theory of evolution and sees no contradiction in believing both in God and in evolution.
She supports same-sex marriage in church, while calling for the state to support the institution of marriage as such. (Antje Jackelén. Wikipedia, accessed 05/08/15)
The Bible is clear that Jesus was born of a virgin (e.g. Matthew 1:18-25; see also Virgin Birth: Does the Bible Teach It?), that God created all life (see Genesis 1; Exodus 20:11; also Is Evolution Probable or Impossible or Is God’s Existence Logical?), and that homosexual relations are an abomination (Leviticus 18:22; 20:13; see also The Bible Condemns Homosexuality).
Antje Jackelén is also married (to a man). And while the Bible does endorse that bishops get married, the Church of Rome does not endorse that (see also Was Celibacy Required for Early Bishops or Presbyters?). Furthermore, the Bible specifies that bishops are to be males, and have a wife. Not a woman with a husband.
Here is what the Apostle Paul wrote, quoting here from the Roman Catholic approved Rheims New Testament translation into the English language:
1.FAITHFUL saying. If a man desire a Bishops office, he desireth a good work.
2. It behoveth therefore a Bishop to be irreprehensible, the husband of one wife,
sober, wise, comely, chaste, a man of hospitality, a teacher,
3. Not given to wine, no fighter, but modest, no quarreler, not covetous,
4. Well ruling his own house, chaving his children subject with all charity.
5. But if a man know not to rule his own house: how shall he have care of the Church of
God? (1 Timothy 3:1-5).5. For this cause left I thee in Crete, that thou shouldest reform the things that are
wanting, and shouldst ordain priests by cities, as I also appointed thee:
6. If any be without crime, the husband of one wife, having faithful children, not in the
accusations of riot, or not obedient.
7. For a Bishop must be without crime, as the steward of God: not proud, not angry, nor
given to wine, no striker, nor covetous of filthy lucre (Titus 1:5-7).
The Bible does not endorse the ordination of women, but men. To accept females as bishops is clearly in contrast to what the Bible teaches (information on female religious roles can be found in the article Women and the New Testament Church).
Compromise is not what Jesus taught His Church to do. Jude wrote from the New Jerusalem Bible (another Roman Catholic approved translation into the English language):
3 I felt that I must write to you encouraging you to fight hard for the faith which has been once and for all entrusted to God’s holy people. (Jude 3, NJB)
That scripture would also not suggest that doctrinal compromise is appropriate for the faithful.
I would also add here that the Lutherans, who take their name from Martin Luther, have repeatedly compromised in various areas, including several related to their political quest for ecumenical unity.
Martin Luther, himself, taught against the concept that the Roman Catholic Church was the one true church. And while most modern Protestant leaders would agree on that point, Martin Luther took this much further.
Specifically, Martin Luther taught that the Roman Catholic Church was the “great harlot of the Apocalypse” (O’Hare PF. The Facts About Luther, originally 1916, 1987 ed., p.9). Martin Luther also claimed that the Pope was the “Antichrist” (Ibid). Notice also the following:
(1) Martin Luther:… We here are of the conviction that the Papacy is the seat of the true and real antichrist…
(2) John Calvin: I deny him to be the vicar of Christ. … He is an antichrist — I deny him to be the head of the Church (John Calvin Tracts, Volume 1, pages 219, 220). (Standish CD, Standish RR. The Evangelical Dilemma. Hartland Publications, 1996, p. 162)
Samuel Lee (a seventeenth century Rhode Island minister): It is agreed among all main lines of the English Church that the Roman pontiff is the Antichrist (Samuel Lee, The Cutting off of Antichrist, p. 1). (Standish CD, Standish RR. The Antichrist is Here. Hartland Publications, 1988, p. 16)
With all the ecumenical discussions going on these days, not many Protestant leaders no longer seem to believe in the papal-antichrist position of many of their early leaders.
For the record, I should state that I agree with certain Catholic leaders who have claimed that the final Antichrist will be some type of antipope (see Catholic Prophecies: Do They Mirror, Highlight, or Contradict Biblical Prophecies?).
Jesus DID NOT come so that the world would be united in this age. Notice what Jesus said:
51 ‘Do you suppose that I am here to bring peace on earth? No, I tell you, but rather division. (Luke 12:51, NJB).
Scripture warns against a coming ecumenical unity which it teaches will be successful:
4 They prostrated themselves in front of the dragon because he had given the beast his authority; and they prostrated themselves in front of the beast, saying, ‘Who can compare with the beast? Who can fight against it?’ 5 The beast was allowed to mouth its boasts and blasphemies and to be active for forty-two months; 6 and it mouthed its blasphemies against God, against his name, his heavenly Tent and all those who are sheltered there. 7 It was allowed to make war against the saints and conquer them, and given power over every race, people, language and nation; 8 and all people of the world will worship it, that is, everybody whose name has not been written down since the foundation of the world in the sacrificial Lamb’s book of life. 9 Let anyone who can hear, listen: 10 Those for captivity to captivity; those for death by the sword to death by the sword. This is why the saints must have perseverance and faith. (Revelation 13:4-10, NJB)
The Bible warns against an end time Babylon unity (note: the New Jerusalem Bible, a Catholic-approved translation, is shown):
1 One of the seven angels that had the seven bowls came to speak to me, and said, ‘Come here and I will show you the punishment of the great prostitute who is enthroned beside abundant waters, 2 with whom all the kings of the earth have prostituted themselves, and who has made all the population of the world drunk with the wine of her adultery.’ 3 He took me in spirit to a desert, and there I saw a woman riding a scarlet beast which had seven heads and ten horns and had blasphemous titles written all over it. 4 The woman was dressed in purple and scarlet and glittered with gold and jewels and pearls, and she was holding a gold winecup filled with the disgusting filth of her prostitution; 5 on her forehead was written a name, a cryptic name: ‘Babylon the Great, the mother of all the prostitutes and all the filthy practices on the earth.’ 6 I saw that she was drunk, drunk with the blood of the saints, and the blood of the martyrs of Jesus; and when I saw her, I was completely mystified. (Revelation 17:1-6, NJB)
9 ‘This calls for shrewdness. The seven heads are the seven hills, on which the woman is sitting…18 The woman you saw is the great city which has authority over all the rulers on earth.’ (Revelation 17:9,18, NJB)
1 After this, I saw another angel come down from heaven, with great authority given to him; the earth shone with his glory. 2 At the top of his voice he shouted, ‘Babylon has fallen, Babylon the Great has fallen, and has become the haunt of devils and a lodging for every foul spirit and dirty, loathsome bird. 3 All the nations have drunk deep of the wine of her prostitution; every king on the earth has prostituted himself with her, and every merchant grown rich through her debauchery.’ 4 Another voice spoke from heaven; I heard it say, ‘Come out, my people, away from her, so that you do not share in her crimes and have the same plagues to bear. 5 Her sins have reached up to the sky, and God has her crimes in mind: treat her as she has treated others. 6 She must be paid double the amount she exacted. She is to have a doubly strong cup of her own mixture. 7 Every one of her pomps and orgies is to be matched by a torture or an agony. I am enthroned as queen, she thinks; I am no widow and will never know bereavement. 8 For that, in one day, the plagues will fall on her: disease and mourning and famine. She will be burned to the ground. The Lord God who has condemned her is mighty.’ 9 ‘There will be mourning and weeping for her by the kings of the earth who have prostituted themselves with her and held orgies with her. They see the smoke as she burns, (Revelation 18:1-9, NJB)
In Zechariah, the Bible warns against a coming Babylon and shows that proper unity will not happen until after Jesus returns:
10 Look out! Look out! Flee from the land of the north — Yahweh declares- for I have scattered you to the four winds of heaven — Yahweh declares. 11 Look out! Make your escape, Zion, now living with the daughter of Babylon!
12 For Yahweh Sabaoth says this, since the Glory commissioned me, about the nations who plundered you, ‘Whoever touches you touches the apple of my eye. 13 Now look, I shall wave my hand over them and they will be plundered by those whom they have enslaved.’ Then you will know that Yahweh Sabaoth has sent me! 14 Sing, rejoice, daughter of Zion, for now I am coming to live among you -Yahweh declares! 15 And on that day many nations will be converted to Yahweh. Yes, they will become his people, and they will live among you. Then you will know that Yahweh Sabaoth has sent me to you! 16 Yahweh will take possession of Judah, his portion in the Holy Land, and again make Jerusalem his choice. (Zechariah 2:10-16, NJB; note in translations such as the NKJV these are shown as Zechariah 2:6-12)
The ecumenical and inter-faith movements that the Vatican and the Eastern Orthodox leaders are promoting are clearly condemned by the Bible and should not be encouraged.
The Bible itself warns against the type of ecumenical unity that Pope Francis and various Protestant leaders are working towards (e.g. Revelation 17).
Some items of possibly related interest may include:
Beware: Protestants Going Towards Ecumenical Destruction! What is going on in the Protestant world? Are Protestants turning back to their ‘mother church’ in Rome? Does the Bible warn about this? What are Catholic plans and prophecies related to this? Is Protestantism doomed? See also World Council of Churches Peace Plan.
Pope Francis and the Devil’s Unity Pope Francis has spoken about unity and his ecumenical agenda. He has also claimed the devil is “the father of division. He is the one who always divides.” Is that true? Pope Francis prayed for ‘Mary’ to unite Christians–is that something that the Bible teaches? Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople has called those opposed to his ecumenical efforts “unacceptably fanatical.” Does the Bible teach that true Christian unity comes before or after Jesus returns? Is there a Babylonian unity that the Bible warns against? What is the Devil’s unity? Might ‘Mary’ be used to set up the time of the final Antichrist? This is a video.
Women and the New Testament Church What roles did women play in the ministry of Jesus and the apostles? Did Jesus and the Apostle Paul violate Jewish traditions regarding their dealings with women? Do women have any biblical limitations on their role in the Church? Were there female prophets? Do women have any special responsibilities in terms of how they dress? What does the New Testament really teach about women? Here is a related sermon titled: New Testament Women.
Who is the Man of Sin of 2 Thessalonians 2? Is this the King of the North, the ten-horned beast of Revelation 13:1-11, or the two-horned Beast of Revelation 13:12-16? Some rely on traditions, but what does the Bible teach? Here is a related link in Spanish/español: ¿Quién es el Hombre de Pecado de 2 Tesalonicenses 2? Here is a version in Mandarin: 主编： 谁是’大罪人’？Here is a link to a related YouTube video, in English, titled Who is the Man of Sin?
Some Doctrines of Antichrist Are there any doctrines taught outside the Churches of God which can be considered as doctrines of antichrist? This article suggests at least three. It also provides information on 666 and the identity of “the false prophet.” Plus it shows that several Catholic writers seem to warn about an ecumenical antipope that will support heresy. You can also watch a video titled What Does the Bible teach about the Antichrist?
Do You Know That Babylon is Forming? How is the final Babylon forming? Are Protestants such as Joel Osteen and Kenneth Copeland are endorsing something dangerous? Could Pope Francis be the ‘False Prophet’ that the Bible warns against? Is an antipope expected to endorse a one-world religion? Here is a link to a related written article In Vatican City: New Babylon more openly forming!
United Nations: Humankind’s Last Hope or New World Order? Is the UN the last hope for humanity? Or might its goals end up with sinister results? A related video would be United Nations and Vatican Are Planning the New World Order.
Hope of Salvation: How the Continuing Church of God differ from most Protestants How the real Church of God differs from mainstream/traditional Protestants, is perhaps the question I am asked most by those without a Church of God background. As far as some changes affecting Protestantism, watch the video Charismatic Kenneth Copeland and Anglican Tony Palmer: Protestants Beware! [Português: Esperança do salvação: Como a igreja do deus difere da maioria de protestantes]
Mary, the Mother of Jesus and the Apparitions Do you know much about Mary? Are the apparitions real? What happened at Fatima? What might they mean for the rise of the ecumenical religion of Antichrist? Are Protestants moving towards Mary? How do the Eastern/Greek Orthodox view Mary? How might Mary view her adorers? Here is a link to a YouTube video Marian Apparitions May Fulfill Prophecy.
Which Is Faithful: The Roman Catholic Church or the Continuing Church of God? Do you know that both groups shared a lot of the earliest teachings? Do you know which church changed? Do you know which group is most faithful to the teachings of the apostolic church? Which group best represents true Christianity? This documented article answers those questions.
Why Should American Catholics Fear Unity with the Orthodox? Are the current ecumenical meetings a good thing or will they result in disaster? Is doctrinal compromise good? Here is a link to a related video Should you be concerned about the ecumenical movement?
Will the Interfaith Movement Lead to Peace or Sudden Destruction? Is the interfaith movement going to lead to lasting peace or is it warned against? A video of related interest could be Do You Know That Babylon is Forming?
Some Similarities and Differences Between the Eastern Orthodox Church and the Continuing Church of God Both groups claim to be the original church, but both groups have differing ways to claim it. Both groups have some amazing similarities and some major differences. Do you know what they are?
Orthodox Must Reject Unity with the Roman Catholics Unity between these groups will put them in position to be part of the final end time Babylon that the Bible warns against as well as require improper compromise.
Satan’s Plan Does Satan have a plan? What is it? Has it already been successful? Will it be successful in the future?
Will the Interfaith Movement Lead to Peace or Sudden Destruction? Is the interfaith movement going to lead to lasting peace or is it warned against?
COGwriter Position on Other Churches and Religions What is the fate of those who do not know Christ? What about those who profess Christ outside the Church of God?
Where is the True Christian Church Today? This free online pdf booklet answers that question and includes 18 proofs, clues, and signs to identify the true vs. false Christian church. Plus 7 proofs, clues, and signs to help identify Laodicean churches. A related sermon is also available: Where is the True Christian Church? Here is a link to the booklet in the Spanish language: ¿Dónde está la verdadera Iglesia cristiana de hoy?
Continuing History of the Church of God This pdf booklet is a historical overview of the true Church of God and some of its main opponents from c. 31 A.D. to 2014. Two related sermon links would include Continuing History of the Church of God: c. 31 to c. 300 A.D. and Continuing History of the Church of God: 4th-16th Centuries. In Spanish: Marque aquí para ver el pdf folleto: Continuación de la Historia de la Iglesia de Dios.
The Similarities and Dissimilarities between Martin Luther and Herbert W. Armstrong This article clearly shows some of the doctrinal differences between in the two. At this time of doctrinal variety and a tendency by many to accept certain aspects of Protestantism, the article should help clarify why the genuine Church of God is NOT Protestant. Do you really know what the Protestant Reformer Martin Luther taught and should you follow his doctrinal example? Here is a related sermon video: Martin Luther and Herbert Armstrong: Reformers with Differences.
Do You Practice Mithraism? Many practices and doctrines that mainstream so-called Christian groups have are the same or similar to those of the sun-god Mithras. December 25th was celebrated as his birthday. Do you follow Mithraism combined with the Bible or original Christianity? A sermon video from Vatican City is titled Church of Rome, Mithras, and Isis?
Pope Francis: Could this Marian Focused Pontiff be Fulfilling Prophecy? Pope Francis has taken many steps to turn people more towards his version of ‘Mary.’ Could this be consistent with biblical and Catholic prophecies? This article documents what has been happening. There is also a video version titled Pope Francis: Could this Marian Focused Pontiff be Fulfilling Prophecy?
Feast of the Immaculate Conception? Did early Christians teach Mary had an immaculate conception and led a sinless life?
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The Last Pope Do Biblical and Catholic Prophecies Point to Pope Francis? Why might Pope Francis be the last pope? What happens if he is? Biblical and other prophecies help explain what to expect.
The Last Pope: Do Biblical and Catholic Prophecies Point to Pope Francis? Amazon Book What does the Bible say about a pope near this time? Is the final pope to be an antipope and antichrist? Does Catholic prophecy point to Pope Francis as being the dreaded “Peter the Roman”? This 186 page book provides information and answers.
The Last Pope: Do Biblical and Catholic Prophecies Point to Pope Francis? Kindle This electronic version of the printed book which is available for only US$2.99. And you do not need an actual Kindle device to read it. Why? Amazon will allow you to download it to almost any device: Please click HERE to download one of Amazon s Free Reader Apps. After you go to for your free Kindle reader and then go to The Last Pope: Do Biblical and Catholic Prophecies Point to Pope Francis? Kindle.
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