Church of God News

Papal title ‘Patriarch of the West,’ dropped by #PopeBenedict, reappears in 2024 #Vatican yearbook https://t.co/b7CVizEo3u @Cindy_Wooden

— Thomas Reese, S.J. (@ThomasReeseSJ) April 12, 2024

COGwriter

The Vatican surprised many by re-instituting a title for its pontifex maximus:

April 10, 2024

Pope Francis has revived the papal title Patriarch of the West, bringing back the style which has fallen in and out of usage over the centuries and was most recently dropped by Benedict XVI in 2006.

In the 2024 edition of the Annuario Pontificio, the Vatican’s annual statistical yearbook, Patriarch of the West once again appears in the litany of formal papal dignities listed at the opening.

It’s an historical title, though sometimes controversial, which was in continuous use for more than a century after it was first introduced into the annuario by Pius IX in 1863. Before that, the style was used more or less at the pope’s pleasure, after being first coined by Theodore I in the seventh century. …

Historically speaking, the council (now dicastery) explained, “the ancient Patriarchates of the East, fixed by the Councils of Constantinople (381) and Chalcedon (451), were related to a fairly clearly circumscribed territory, when the territory of the See of the Bishop of Rome remained vague.”

“Within the imperial ecclesiastical system of Justinian, alongside the four Eastern Patriarchates (Constantinople, Alexandria, Antioch and Jerusalem), the Pope was understood as Patriarch of the West.” …

As regards the perennially thorny issue of papal primacy and ecumenical relations, the council’s statement noted that “without using the title of ‘Patriarch of the West,’ the Fourth Council of Constantinople (869–70), the Fourth Lateran Council (1215) and the Council of Florence (1439), listed the Pope as the first of the then five Patriarchs.” …

It could be that as Pope Francis is encouraging increased synodality in the life of the Church — both theoretical and practical — he has decided that the traditional patriarchal title is a useful expression of how he sees papal hierarchical leadership functioning in an increasingly synodal Church. https://www.pillarcatholic.com/p/why-is-pope-francis-embracing-the

Well, the most obvious reason Francis again is using the ‘Patriarch of the West’ title is that he apparently feels it will help him with his ecumenical and interfaith agendas.

The Lutherans also are pushing an ecumenical and interfaith agenda. And now they want to push for a universal adoption of an Eastern Orthodox holiday. Here is something from the Lutheran World Federation:

Ecumenical efforts to introduce a Christian Feast of Creation

2 April 2024

A seminar in Assisi asks whether a Feast of Creation could become a pivotal part of the church’s liturgical calendar alongside the celebrations of Christmas and Easter …

Could the celebration of a ‘Feast of Creation’ become a pivotal point of the liturgical calendar in all the Christian churches? Could that celebration of God’s creation be seen as significant as the other great feasts of Christmas and Easter? Could Christians learn from each other’s traditions to find a clearer understanding of the ties between the biblical account of creation and the current environmental crisis?

Those questions were at the heart of a recent ecumenical seminar held in the Umbrian hill town of Assisi. The 14 to 16 March meeting was organized by the Roman Catholic church’s Laudato Sì Research Institute, in partnership with LWF, the World Council of Churches, the World Methodist Council, the Anglican Communion and the World Communion of Reformed Churches.

Entitled ‘The Feast of Creation and the Mystery of Creation: Ecumenism, Theology, Liturgy and Signs of the Times in Dialogue’, it brought together church leaders, liturgists, scholars, scientists and other experts to explore the history of Christian engagement with the creation story, described in the book of Genesis, in the context of the growing climate justice movement. …

Assistant General Secretary Prof. Dr Dirk Lange, who represented LWF at the event, said it marked a moment to “dig deeper, together with Catholic, Orthodox and Reformed sisters and brothers, into the ways our churches have developed – or sometimes also failed to foster – a theology of creation.”

Attention to creation, he continued “has been an important component of Lutheran theological and liturgical tradition, but never creation without the cross – or without incarnation.” These three foundations of the Christian faith – creation, incarnation, cross and resurrection – are “the Trinitarian truth that we confess in the Nicene Creed,” he said, recalling Martin Luther’s saying that “the wood of the manger is also the wood of the cross.” …

The Orthodox church has an ancient tradition of celebrating 1 September as the day when God created the Earth, a tradition that was revived in recent decades to include both thanksgiving for that gift of creation, as well as prayers for the protection of all of creation. …

Many Christian churches worldwide have now begun to mark a Feast of Creation on 1 September, as well as a month-long Season of Creation, which runs until 4 October, the feast day of St Francis of Assisi. …

Looking ahead to next year’s anniversary of the Council of Nicaea, which defined the Creed that is used by most churches today, Lange noted how a Feast of Creation can help to expand and deepen “our Trinitarian spirituality.” https://lutheranworld.org/news/ecumenical-efforts-introduce-christian-feast-creation

There are several points to make about the above.

First of all, Christmas and Easter are not Christian holidays, but are days celebrated like the pagans of Rome and Europe anciently did. They were adopted by the Greco-Roman churches as well as their Protestant daughters.

Second of all, September 1 is an interesting date for the Creation. September actually means the seventh month–even though it is now the ninth month of the Roman calendar. Yet, by being the ninth month of that calendar, it normally overlaps at least part of the seventh month of the biblical calendar. The seventh month of the biblical calendar is called Ethanim (1 Kings 8:2) in the Bible.

But the Jews most commonly call the seventh month Tishrei. Tishrei stems from the Akkadian word tašrītu which means “beginning.” The Jews consider that the creation of Adam and Eve happened on the first day of the seventh month.

The Jews call that day Rosh Hashana, meaning in Hebrew the “Beginning of the Year,” of more literally, “Head of the Year.” That name is not biblical, but a name that the Jews later attached to that date:

“Rosh Hashana, which literally means head of the year” {it was} “not called Rosh Hashanah until Talmudic times” (Kramer, Amy J. Rosh Hashana Origins. Copyright © 1998-1999 Everything Jewish, Inc. http://www.everythingjewish.com/RoshH/RH_origins.htm 9/16/04).

That said, it may be that part of the reason that the Eastern Orthodox Catholics picked the first day of the month called the seventh month is because Jewish tradition points to the first day of the seventh month of the Hebrew calendar as being when Adam and Eve were created.

This could perhaps point to not only an ecumenical, but also an interfaith, move by the Lutherans.

Getting back to the Lutheran report, it is interesting that it brought up crosses which early Christians did not use (see What is the Origin of the Cross as a Claimed ‘Christian’ Symbol?). The cross is being used as an ecumenical symbol (watch be Beware of the ‘Ecumenical Cross’) and because of its origins it can be an interfaith symbol for some (watch The Chrislam Cross and the Interfaith Movement).

The report mentioned next year’s anniversary of the Council of Nicea.

This is a big deal to many and may result in more ecumenical unity, which is what many Greco-Roman Catholic and Protestant leaders want (see The ‘Third Council of Nicea’ is expected to increase unity and heal the Greco-Roman schism). A decade ago, we put out the following video:

Why mention those creeds?

Because the earliest creeds were NOT trinitarian.

The so-called “Trinitarian truth that we confess in the Nicene Creed” is 1) not true and 2) not part of the original faith.

That creed came out in 380 A.D. and Emperor Theodophilus actually removed Demophilus, the Patriarch of Constantinople, from his position because Demophilus would not accept its trinitarian message.

The LWF is part of the World Council of Churches (WCC). A group that does NOT ALLOW NON-TRINITARIAN CHURCHES TO BE PART OF IT.

While the Vatican is not officially a part of the World Council of Churches, it works with the WCC and shares many of its goals.

Consider that back in 2021, Pope Francis blasted those who feel that they hold to the true Christian faith:

Pope Francis: You Can Recognize False Christians by Their ‘Inflexibility’

June 25, 2021

ROME — Pope Francis warned … against Christians who are overly attached to tradition and “disturb communities” through their inflexibility.

There is no shortage of preachers today who, especially through the new means of communication, “disturb communities,” the pope said during his weekly General Audience. “They present themselves …, as true ‘keepers of the truth’ — so they call themselves — on the best way to be Christians.”

This sort of people “strongly affirm that the true Christianity is the one they adhere to, often identified with certain forms of the past, and that the solution to the crises of today is to go back so as not to lose the genuineness of the faith,” Francis said.

As he has done on numerous occasions, the pope warned against conservative Christians …

the pontiff said. “But how can we recognise these people? For example, one of the traces of this way of proceeding is inflexibility.” https://www.sgtreport.com/2021/06/pope-francis-you-can-recognize-false-christians-by-their-inflexibility/

Inflexibility?

Well, in the case of the Continuing Church of God, we believe along with Jesus, that “scripture cannot be set aside” (John 10:35, NJB)–hence are inflexible on that–Rome should be as well.

Furthermore, notice how the Roman Catholic New Jerusalem Bible translates the last portion of Jude 3:

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)

True Christians hold to, and advocate for, the original Christian faith.

Pope Francis and the WCC are not doing that. It is the Vatican and the WCC that are inflexible as they will not fully accept the word of God to support original Christianity over their agendas.

The Roman Catholic LifeSiteNews reported:

June 25, 2021

Pope Francis used his general audience this week to denigrate online preachers who are “rigid” … Drawing from St. Paul’s Letter to the Galatians, the Pope seemed to be accusing conservative and traditionalist Catholics of being in league with the Evil One … https://www.lifesitenews.com/news/pope-denigrates-rigid-preachers-living-in-the-past-while-his-silence-on-persecuted-christians-is-deafening

In his talk, Pope Francis actually also warned against having Judeo-Christian views on things such as what he referred to as the Mosaic law–even though Roman Catholic scholars know that the first fifteen bishops of Jerusalem held to those beliefs.

The late French Cardinal Jean-Guenole-Marie Danielou wrote that church history has generally been mistaught by downplaying the fact that the Romans considered Christianity a Jewish sect, and not a new religion. Cardinal Danielou specifically wrote that not properly teaching the truth about the ‘Jewishness’ of early Christianity has led to a “false picture of Christian history” (Daniélou J, Cardinal. The Theology of Jewish Christianity. Translated by John A. Baker. The Westminster Press, Philadelphia, 1964, p. 2).

As far as Galatians goes, the Apostle Paul was inspired to write:

⁸ But even if we ourselves or an angel from heaven preaches to you a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let God’s curse be on him. (Galatians 1:8, NJB)

So, Paul is warning against changing from the original gospel. We in the CCOG teach that original gospel and history shows that early Christians taught that same gospel. For details, see our free online booklet: The Gospel of the Kingdom of God.

Regarding history, Pope Francis stated:

The Church is not afraid of history, rather, loves it and would like to love it more and better, as God loves it! (Grogan C. Vatican to open WWII secret archives of Pope Pius XII. Catholic News Agency, March 4, 2019)

Were early Christians rigid and inflexible?

History shows that on biblical doctrines they were.

The Bible warns against compromise with those who do not hold the true original faith:

¹⁴ Do not harness yourselves in an uneven team with unbelievers; how can uprightness and law-breaking be partners, or what can light and darkness have in common?

¹⁵ How can Christ come to an agreement with Beliar and what sharing can there be between a believer and an unbeliever?

¹⁶ The temple of God cannot compromise with false gods, and that is what we are — the temple of the living God. We have God’s word for it: I shall fix my home among them and live among them; I will be their God and they will be my people. (2 Corinthians 6:14-16, NJB)

Polycarp, who was appointed by the apostles to lead the Churches of God in Asia, warned also against changing to what the multitude wants:

Polycarp in his letter To the Philippians . . . invites his recipients to abandon the vanity of the multitude and their false doctrines (τάς ψευδιδασκαλίας), to return to the word that was transmitted from the beginning … (Monroy MS. The Church of Smyrna: History and Theology of a Primitive Christian Community. Peter Lang edition, 2015)

By warning about “the vanity of the multitude,” Polycarp was admonishing the Church of God to be separate from those who would not stay faithful to the original faith of the scriptures and the apostles. And a distance, a separation, occurred throughout history.

A separation based on an inflexible adherence to scripture.

And if there is a conflict between what religious leaders and the Bible teaches, the faithful should be like the original apostles:

Peter and the apostles answering, said: We ought to obey God, rather than men. (Acts 5:29, DRB)

So, yes, true Christians are to be rigid and inflexible when it comes to the word of God and obeying God.

But as far as being rigid goes, there is hypocrisy with Rome and the WCC. Consider that in December 2020, the Vatican released something called the Ecumenical Vademecum.

Sadly, its Vademecum, does NOT fight hard for the faith which has been once and for all entrusted to God’s holy people. Instead, it is more on how to take ecumenical steps to reach out to other faiths and schmooze with them to get them to agree that they are close enough to Rome that they should basically consider themselves a culturally different fellowship, which is in basically full communion with Rome. Using the media in an ecumenical way along with joint prayer with other trinitarians was some of what the document advocates.

Here are some direct quotes from that Vademecum:

Firstly, ecumenism is not premised on compromise as if unity should be achieved at the expense of truth. … Though all revealed truths are believed with the same divine faith, their significance depends on their relation to the saving mysteries of the Trinity and salvation in Christ, the source of all Christian doctrines. By weighing truths rather than simply enumerating them, Catholics gain a more accurate understanding of the unity that exists among Christians. … Because we share a real communion as brothers and sisters in Christ, Catholics not only can, but indeed must, seek out opportunities to pray with other Christians. Accessed 12/05/20 http://www.christianunity.va/content/dam/unitacristiani/Documentazione%20generale/2020Vademecum/Vademecum-EN.pdf

Well, the sun-worshipping Emperor Constantine was a trinitarian. He called the Council of Nicea in 325 A.D. and presided over it as a ‘lay bishop,’ despite not even being baptized. Yet, even then, only 10-15% of the bishops who attended were trinitarian. But Emperor Constantine’s push of it was a factor in more adopting it over the next few decades.

The acceptance of the Greco-Roman trinity was a doctrine officially pushed by Emperor Theodosius. This is a tradition that Pope Francis is inflexible on!

In an Imperial decree in 380, Emperor Theodosius declared that the “Catholic Church” was the official religion of the Roman Empire (Theodosian Code XVI.1.2. Cited in Bettenson H, ed., Documents of the Christian Church, London: Oxford University Press, 1943, p. 31). Theodosius also issued an Imperial decree that said any who would not embrace his trinitarian definition of the Godhead were prohibited to use the term “catholic,” and he also labelled such persons as “foolish madmen” and “heretics” (ibid).

His trinity became the official Greco-Roman position in the Council of Constantinople that Emperor Theodosius convened in 381 A.D. Clearly it was not part of the faith which has been once and for all entrusted to God’s holy people.

In the 21st century we see that those who compromised on the nature of the Godhead are those that Rome expects will be in unity with it–hence that eliminates groups like the Continuing Church of God as we hold to the original faith on matters, including the nature of the Godhead (see the free online books Beliefs of the Original Catholic Church: Could a remnant group have continuing apostolic succession? and Continuing History of the Church of God and Hope of Salvation: How the Continuing Church of God Differs from Protestantism).

JANE LE ROYER (d. 1798) SISTER MARY OF THE NATIVITY

“When the time of the reign of Antichrist is near, a false religion will appear which be opposed to the unity of God and His Church. (Culligan E. The Last World War and the End of Time. The book was blessed by Pope Paul VI, 1966. TAN Books, Rockford (IL), pp.127,128)

From her vision, nun Royer says a false religion will “appear” that is “opposed to the unity of God and His Church.”

What is the “unity of God” according to Roman Catholic sources?

Well, the idea of Christ willing ecumenical unity as found in the Vademecum is one. And, the trinity is the other per The Catholic Encyclopedia:

Thus we protect the Divine Trinity, and the holy avowal of the monarchy [unity of God].” (Lebreton, Jules. “The Logos.” The Catholic Encyclopedia. Vol. 9. Nihil Obstat. October 1, 1910. Remy Lafort, Censor. Imprimatur. +John M. Farley, Archbishop of New York. New York: Robert Appleton Company, 1910.

So, Roman Catholic writings are worried about a church that sounds like the Continuing Church of God.

The Greco-Roman trinitarian doctrine is not scriptural and was not part of the early Christian faith.

Yet that trinity is the basis for the type unity Rome is pushing for.

That is certainly an unbiblical and improper unity.

Furthermore, last century, the trinitarian position was adopted as a membership rule by the World Council of Churches (WCC Approves a Trinitarian Basis, Christianity Today, December 22, 1961), and that INFLEXIBLE requirement has remained in effect in the 21^st century (Thomas TK. “WCC, Basis of,” in Dictionary of the Ecumenical Movement, 2nd ed., ed. Nicholas Lossky et al. Geneva: WCC Publications and Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2002: 1238–1239).

Thus, since the CCOG does not accept the 381 trinitarian adoption, it would not even be a target of the ecumenical efforts of the Vatican nor the WCC.

Furthermore, notice the following warnings about improper unity:

15 How can Christ come to an agreement with Beliar and what sharing can there be between a believer and an unbeliever?

16 The temple of God cannot compromise with false gods, and that is what we are — the temple of the living God. We have God’s word for it: I shall fix my home among them and live among them; I will be their God and they will be my people.

17 Get away from them, purify yourselves, says the Lord. Do not touch anything unclean, and then I shall welcome you. (2 Corinthians 6:15-17, NJB)

True Christians will not be part of what the Church of Rome is pushing. Notice what the Apostle John was inspired to write:

5 They are from the world, and therefore the world inspires what they say, and listens to them. 6 We are from God; whoever recognises God listens to us; anyone who is not from God refuses to listen to us. This is how we can distinguish the spirit of truth from the spirit of falsehood. (1 John 4:5-6, NJB)

Many world leaders have endorsed the ecumenical and interfaith agendas that the Vatican has been pushing. We in the Continuing Church of God do not.

The WCC clearly has goals (e.g. The ‘Unpardonable Sin’ and ‘Climate Change’? and A different false gospel is taking hold: ‘Minister of climate change urges Earth’s salvation’) consistent with those of Pope Francis (see Pope Francis continues to press his climate change ‘gospel’ and Laudato Si: Pope’s Agenda or Kingdom of God?) and the United Nations (watch UN’s ‘New Universal Agenda’ is a False Gospel! and United Nations and Vatican Are Planning the New World Order and Will the Interfaith Movement lead to World War III?).

Ecumenism is a false gospel.

Notice also the following video on our Bible News Prophecy YouTube channel:

9:31

A Different False Gospel

While there have been a variety of false gospels since at least the time of Simon Magus and the Gnostics, there is a relatively new one being pushed by major leaders of the world’s churches. Essentially, leaders are teaching that ‘climate change’ is related to salvation, the unpardonable sin, and something called the ‘social gospel.’ This is being pushed by leaders including Pope Francis of the Church of Rome, Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew of the Eastern Orthodox Church, and Olav Tveit of the World Council of Churches. Is this a false gospel consistent with Galatians 1:6-11? Are these angels of light or something else (cf. 2 Corinthians 11:13-15 )? While it is good to not pollute, will the ecumenical climate change agenda work according to the Bible? Dr. Thiel address these issues and more.

Here is a link: A Different False Gospel. The Vatican and WCC are promoting several.

The Bible shows that it will take the return of Jesus and the establishment of the millennial Kingdom of God to bring true peace and justice (Matthew 24:21-22; Revelation 11:18; see also The Bible, Christians, and the Environment).

The Bible also clearly shows that the ecumenical/inter-faith movement will also end in destruction (Revelation 18 & 19). This is not something that Catholics or the Eastern Orthodox or the Protestants should want (see also Why Should American Catholics Fear Unity with the Orthodox? and Beware: Protestants Going Towards Ecumenical Destruction!)–yet many of their leaders are promoting this.

This is a false gospel!

The ecumenical and worldly agendas will not bring peace (see also World Council of Churches Peace Plan). Instead it is laying the foundation for the final ‘Babylon’ of Revelation 17 & 18.

In Zechariah, the Bible warns against a coming ‘daughter of 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)

Notice that the day of unity comes AFTER Christians are to flee from Babylon. The Book of Revelation shows that is for the future:

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. (Revelation 18:2-4, NJB)

The ecumenical and inter-faith movements that the Vatican, certain Protestants, and certain Eastern Orthodox leaders are promoting are clearly condemned by the Bible and should not be encouraged.

Yes, the time will come when the most faithful Christians will flee per Revelation 12:14-16 (see also There is a Place of Safety for the Philadelphians. Why it May Be Near Petra).

While Jesus did pray for true Christians to be one as He and the Father are one in John 17:21, Jesus DID NOT push for the type of unity that the Vatican is pushing for.

Furthermore, consider that even Roman Catholic translations of the Bible show that the Apostle Paul also taught that true unity of faith would not happen until after Jesus returns:

13 until we all reach unity in faith and knowledge of the Son of God and form the perfect Man, fully mature with the fullness of Christ himself. (Ephesians 4:13, NJB)

Those who believe this unity comes prior to Jesus’ return are in error. Actually, when Jesus returns, He will destroy the unity of nations that are against Him:

11:15 Then the seventh angel blew his trumpet, and voices could be heard shouting in heaven, calling, ‘The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and his Christ, and he will reign for ever and ever.’ 16 The twenty-four elders, enthroned in the presence of God, prostrated themselves and touched the ground with their foreheads worshipping God 17 with these words, ‘We give thanks to you, Almighty Lord God, He who is, He who was, for assuming your great power and beginning your reign. 18 The nations were in uproar and now the time has come for your retribution, and for the dead to be judged, and for your servants the prophets, for the saints and for those who fear your name, small and great alike, to be rewarded. The time has come to destroy those who are destroying the earth.’ (Revelation 11:15-18, NJB)

19:6 And I heard what seemed to be the voices of a huge crowd, like the sound of the ocean or the great roar of thunder, answering, ‘Alleluia! The reign of the Lord our God Almighty has begun;… 19 Then I saw the beast, with all the kings of the earth and their armies, gathered together to fight the Rider and his army. 20 But the beast was taken prisoner, together with the false prophet who had worked miracles on the beast’s behalf and by them had deceived those who had accepted branding with the mark of the beast and those who had worshipped his statue. These two were hurled alive into the fiery lake of burning sulphur. 21 All the rest were killed by the sword of the Rider, which came out of his mouth, and all the birds glutted themselves with their flesh… 20:4 Then I saw thrones, where they took their seats, and on them was conferred the power to give judgement. I saw the souls of all who had been beheaded for having witnessed for Jesus and for having preached God’s word, and those who refused to worship the beast or his statue and would not accept the brandmark on their foreheads or hands; they came to life, and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. (Revelation 19:6,19-21; 20:4, NJB)

Notice that Jesus will have to destroy a world of armies unified against Him. Then He and the saints will reign. That is when there will be proper unity of the faith. Even the NJB, a Roman Catholic translation of the Bible, concurs. The nations will be united AGAINST Jesus.

Roman Catholics, Eastern Orthodox, Protestants, and others need to be concerned about the type of unity that is actually being promoted.

Trinitarian unity is not biblical, but a compromise.

It is those of the original faith that will be with Jesus, whereas those that have compromised away from it will be His opposers.

The Continuing Church of God (CCOG) put together the following video on our Bible News Prophecy YouTube channel:

Here is a link to the video: Vademecum: Rome’s Trinitarian Ecumenical Handbook.

It is a sign of biblical fidelity to hold to the truths of the Bible.

It is not false Christianity to be inflexible to changing “the faith once for all delivered to the saints” (Jude 3, OSB).

Yet, people are being condemned by Pope Francis for striving to do so.

Related to that, we produced the following video:

12:37

Pope Francis condemns preachers of truth as inflexible and rigid, but …

On June 21, 2021, Pope Francis, in his General Audience, berates “preachers, especially through the new means of communication” who present themselves “as true ‘guardians of the truth’; strongly affirm that the true Christianity is the one they adhere to, often identified with certain forms of the past.” What did Jesus and Jude teach about scriptural/doctrinal rigidity? Were early Christian saints inflexible regarding the date of Passover and the reliance of scripture? What about Galatians and the gospel? What have Roman Catholic scholars, like the late French Cardinal Jean-Guenole-Marie Danielou, taught about the ‘Jewishness’ of early Christianity? Did the Apostle Paul teach that the faithful were to be flexible or separate from those who did not believe the true faith?

Here is a link to our video: Pope Francis condemns preachers of truth as inflexible and rigid, but …

Anyway, many are pushing for a false ecumenical unity that the Bible opposes.

While acknowledging that God created, an ecumenical holiday is not what the Vatican, WCC, LWF, etc. should be doing.

All should remember the words of Jesus:

23 But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. 24 God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth. (John 4:23-24)

The truth is that the trinitarian ecumenical movement is not intent on worshiping the God of the Bible in spirit and in truth.

NOTE: THE COGWRITER.COM AND CCOG.ORG WEBSITES MAY BE DOWN FOR A TIME TODAY FOR A SOFTWARE UPDATE BEGINNING AT 6:00 PM PDT.

Some items of possibly related interest may include:

What Was the Original Apostles’ Creed? What is the Nicene Creed? Did the original apostles write a creed? When was the first creed written? Are the creeds commonly used by the Eastern Orthodox or Roman Catholics original? Here is a link to a related video: The Original Apostle’s Creed?
Did the True Church Ever Teach a Trinity? Most act like this is so, but is it? Here is an old, by somewhat related, article in the Spanish language LA DOCTRINA DE LA TRINIDAD. Two related sermons are available: Trinity: Fundamental to Christianity or Something Else? and The Godhead and the Trinity. A brief video is also available: Three trinitarian scriptures?
Beliefs of the Original Catholic Church: Could a remnant group have continuing apostolic succession? Did the original “catholic church” have doctrines held by the Continuing Church of God? Did Church of God leaders uses the term “catholic church” to ever describe the church they were part of? Here are links to related sermons: Original Catholic Church of God?, Original Catholic Doctrine: Creed, Liturgy, Baptism, Passover, What Type of Catholic was Polycarp of Smyrna?, Tradition, Holy Days, Salvation, Dress, & Celibacy, Early Heresies and Heretics, Doctrines: 3 Days, Abortion, Ecumenism, Meats, Tithes, Crosses, Destiny, and more, Saturday or Sunday?, The Godhead, Apostolic Laying on of Hands Succession, Church in the Wilderness Apostolic Succession List, Holy Mother Church and Heresies, and Lying Wonders and Original Beliefs. Here is a link to that book in the Spanish language: Creencias de la iglesia Católica original.
What is the Origin of the Cross as a Claimed ‘Christian’ Symbol? Was the cross used as a venerated symbol by the early Church? Three related YouTube videos would be Beware of the ‘Ecumenical Cross’, The Chrislam Cross and the Interfaith Movement, and Origin of the Cross.
Hope of Salvation: How the Continuing Church of God Differs from Protestantism The CCOG is NOT Protestant. This free online book explains how the real Church of God differs from mainstream/traditional Protestants. Several sermons related to the free book are also available: Protestant, Baptist, and CCOG History; The First Protestant, God’s Command, Grace, & Character; The New Testament, Martin Luther, and the Canon; Eucharist, Passover, and Easter; Views of Jews, Lost Tribes, Warfare, & Baptism; Scripture vs. Tradition, Sabbath vs. Sunday; Church Services, Sunday, Heaven, and God’s Plan; Seventh Day Baptists/Adventists/Messianics: Protestant or COG?; Millennial Kingdom of God and God’s Plan of Salvation; Crosses, Trees, Tithes, and Unclean Meats; The Godhead and the Trinity; Fleeing or Rapture?; and Ecumenism, Rome, and CCOG Differences.
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.
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 sermon of related interest is: Will the Interfaith Movement lead to World War III? and a video sermon is also available: Do You Know That Babylon is Forming?
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?
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.
What is the Unpardonable Sin? What is it? Can you repent of it? Do you know what it is and how to avoid it? Here is a link to a related sermon video The Unpardonable Sin and the Prodigal Son. Here is a link to a shorter video The ‘Unpardonable Sin’ and ‘Climate Change’?
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? watch the video Charismatic Kenneth Copeland and Anglican Tony Palmer: Protestants Beware!
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.
Laudato Si: Pope’s Agenda or Kingdom of God? Pope Francis’ 2nd encyclical is titled ‘Laudato Si.’ In it, he goes over his views related to environmental, economic, social, moral, agricultural, and spiritual issues. He advocates international cooperation to solve various problems he believes are affecting humanity. Is that Pope’s agenda the solution? What about the Kingdom of God? does the Bible teach? Two related articles include Laudato Si: Will Pope Francis’ economic actions match his words? and Laudato Si: A call for a one-world government?
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? Here is a link to a related sermon: Eastern Orthodox 40+ Similar Beliefs to the CCOG.

Tweet

This entry was posted on Sunday, April 14th, 2024 at 3:30 pm and is filed under Religious News.

• Orthodox Attack COGwriter!
• BibleNewsProphecy: 3rd Council of Nicea in 2025?
• Cardinal Kasper Sends Birthday Wish to Patriarch Bartholomew I
• Patriarch Bartholomew and Archbishop Williams to Attend Vatican II Celebration
• Russian Orthodox Church Pleased with Bishop Koch’s Appointment
• Pope Francis officially takes office, has ecumenical hopes, and has first Eastern Orthodox head to attend in 1000 years
• Orthodox Committed to Ecumenism says Romanian Priest
• Pope Calls for Solidarity in a Letter to Orthodox Patriarch Bartholomew
• Russia Celebrates Orthodox Holiday, Officially
• Pope Trying to Appease the Orthodox and the Lutherans