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Pope Francis reached millions with some of his agenda in Poland today:

31 July 2016

KRAKOW, Poland-Addressing a vast sea of young women and men gathered in Krakow for World Youth Day (WYD), Pope Francis told them not to be deterred by those who want to present the image of an insensitive God, and to believe in the power of God’s mercy.

“People will try to block you, to make you think that God is distant, rigid and insensitive, good to the good, and bad to the bad. Instead, our heavenly father ‘makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good,’” Francis said on Sunday.

The pope was addressing some two million women and men gathered in Campus Misericordiae, a field set up for the occasion in the outskirts of Krakow, Poland. …

“People may judge you to be dreamers, because you believe in a new humanity, one that rejects hatred between peoples, one that refuses to see borders as barriers and can cherish its own traditions without being self-centered or small-minded,” Francis warned.  …

WYD this week caused the idea of reinforcing borders to dissolve in the mix of pilgrims from Syria and Iraq, brothers and sisters in the faith at one with Poles and Hungarians. …

For one week, the streets of Krakow, a deeply Catholic city, with over 300 churches, became a mirror of the Universal Church. A glimpse of a united Christianity was visible, too, as Russian Orthodox and Pentecostal pilgrims joined Catholics in the festivities.

A peek into one of the many churches offering permanent Eucharistic adoration during these days showed youngsters from Ukraine and Russia – whose nations are at war – praying together. … here the people were at peace with each other.

Perhaps nothing symbolized this more than to see Israeli and Palestinian flags mixed in with each other. https://cruxnow.com/world-youth-day-krakow/2016/07/31/not-afraid-trust-mercy-urges-pope-closing-mass/

July 31, 2016

Pope Francis on Sunday encouraged hundreds of thousands of young people gathered in southern Poland to “believe in a new humanity,” which is stronger than evil and refuses to use borders as barriers. http://www.foxnews.com/world/2016/07/31/pope-urges-young-people-to-believe-in-new-humanity-as-world-youth-day-ends.html

July 31, 2016

Krakow, Poland Pope Francis has asked global young people to show the world a new way, “People may judge you to be dreamers, because you believe in a new humanity, one that rejects hatred between peoples, one that refuses to see borders as barriers and can cherish its own traditions without being self-centered or small-minded,” he told the youths.

“Don’t be discouraged!” he exhorted. “With a smile and open arms, you proclaim hope and you are a blessing for our one human family, which here you represent so beautifully!”

Francis was speaking Sunday in the last major event of his five-day trip to Poland, in which he celebrated World Youth Day events but also touched on political themes with the country’s leaders … https://www.ncronline.org/news/vatican/francis-asks-worlds-youth-be-vanguard-new-humanity

Should people strive to be kinder, be nice to others, and smile more?

Yes.

Is promoting a ‘new humanity’ like this going to solve the real issues facing the world?

No.

Pope Francis is promoting a false gospel (cf. Galatians 1:6-9; view also Galatians 1 and the False Gospel).

If this was the only time he did anything like what he did today, perhaps it would not be as clear.

But it is not. From his Laudato Si encyclical to his endorsement of the United Nation’s ‘New Universal Agenda’, Pope Francis has demonstrated he does not believe that it will take Kingdom of God to solve humanities’ ills.

Furthermore, Pope Francis has personally taken several steps since becoming pope in March 2013 to direct people to Mary (see, for example, Pope Francis continues to direct his followers towards “Mary”). A lot of Catholic prophecy indicates that “Mary” will be a major factor in bringing people to the Catholic faith–which will be a changed faith. This changed faith is warned against in the Bible, yet steps are being taken to implement it.

Now, is it good for people to try to get along peaceably with each other?

Yes.

But Pope Francis’ message is more than that.

His is a sometimes subtle attempt to get the world to unite into his version of interfaith and ecumenical unity.

To many in the world, he looks like a lamb (cf. Revelation 13:11a), but his words are really those of a dragon (Revelation 13:11b).

What about the idea of unity now?

Jesus did NOT come to bring worldwide unity in this age:

51 Do you suppose that I came to give peace on earth? I tell you, not at all, but rather division. (Luke 12:51)

The Apostle Paul taught that true unity of faith would not happen until after Jesus returns:

13 till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; (Ephesians 4:13)

Those who believe this unity comes prior to Jesus’ return are in error. We are not ‘perfect’ until after He comes (cf. 1 John 1:8). The prophesied unity of faith does not happen prior to Jesus’ return.

The Bible shows that a false ecumenical unity will come (Revelation 13:4-8; 17:-12). Christians are warned not to be part of it:

2 And he cried mightily with a loud voice, saying, “Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and has become a dwelling place of demons, a prison for every foul spirit, and a cage for every unclean and hated bird! 3 For all the nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth have become rich through the abundance of her luxury.”

4 And I heard another voice from heaven saying, “Come out of her, my people, lest you share in her sins, and lest you receive of her plagues. 5 For her sins have reached to heaven, and God has remembered her iniquities. (Revelation 18:2-5)

Notice also some passages from the Old Testament:

6 “Up, up! Flee from the land of the north,” says the Lord; “for I have spread you abroad like the four winds of heaven,” says the Lord. 7 “Up, Zion! Escape, you who dwell with the daughter of Babylon.” (Zechariah 2:6-7)

Notice that even true believers are warned to get away from this. The next few verses tell about the timing and that God will cause the unity He wants:

8 For thus says the Lord of hosts: “He sent Me after glory, to the nations which plunder you; for he who touches you touches the apple of His eye. 9 For surely I will shake My hand against them, and they shall become spoil for their servants. Then you will know that the Lord of hosts has sent Me.

10 “Sing and rejoice, O daughter of Zion! For behold, I am coming and I will dwell in your midst,” says the Lord. 11 “Many nations shall be joined to the Lord in that day, and they shall become My people. And I will dwell in your midst. Then you will know that the Lord of hosts has sent Me to you. 12 And the Lord will take possession of Judah as His inheritance in the Holy Land, and will again choose Jerusalem. 13 Be silent, all flesh, before the Lord, for He is aroused from His holy habitation!” (Zechariah 2:8-13)

So, the Bible is saying that GOD–not a ‘new humanity’–will bring unity. And that does not come until AFTER Jesus returns.

Understand that the Bible also teaches that when Jesus actually returns, He will destroy the unity of nations that are against Him (Revelation 11:15-18, 19:6,19-21).

Consider that the New Testament teaches:

4 There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling; 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism (Ephesians 4:4-5)

The Bible does not endorse multiple religions along with multiple ‘lords’ and baptisms.  The time for true religious unity is not now–all religions would have to convert to the true Christian faith (Where is the True Christian Church Today? and Continuing History of the Church of God) and that is not what the ecumenical/interfaith movements are all about.

The Bible says that Jesus is the ‘Prince of Peace’ (Isaiah 9:6) and it will take the return of Jesus Christ and the establishment of the millennial kingdom of God to bring peace–not the false interfaith/ecumenical movement–which is what Pope Francis seems to mean when he calls for a “new humanity.”

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This entry was posted on Sunday, July 31st, 2016 at 7:40 am and is filed under Religious News.

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