Monday, April 03, 2006

Ecumenicalism

A disturbing trend has been emerging in Christianity over recent years, a trend known as ecumenism, or the ecumenical movement. Ecumenism is the coming together of various 'Christian' denominations, based on unity in Christ, for dialogue and evangelism. This concept is flawed from the outset as Roman Catholicism denies many of the biblical teachings regarding salvation etc. There can be no unity without truth. To be in unity with Catholicism, I would have to compromise and be in agreement with things I know to be false. The doctrine of purgatory for example. It is not in my Bible. How does a Bible believing, born again Christian join together in unity with those who oppose what the Bible says? Is the good news, the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, up for debate? Is the doctrine of salvation amongst other key doctrines negotiable? I agree with the teachings in the Bible clearly taught by Jesus and the apostles. The Roman Catholic Church says the sacrifice of Christ on the cross is not enough, and it institutes the Mass where Christ is crucified over and over again. This same church teaches infant baptism, purgatory, prayer to saints and other rituals not found or taught in the Holy Bible.
2 Corinthians 6:14,15 says: "Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness? And what accord has Christ with Belial? Or what part has a believer with an unbeliever?" (NKJV). True unity must be based on the doctrines in the Bible, not on the traditions of man, and man made doctrines. We can not have unity based on compromise. There is one truth and that is the Holy Bible. Jesus is "THE WAY, THE TRUTH, and THE LIFE. No man comes to the Father except through Him. (John 14:6) Compromise cannot be an option. We must hold fast to the truth of God's Word.
"I marvel that you so soon are being moved away from Him who called you into the grace of Christ, to another gospel, which is not another, but some are troubling you, and desiring to pervert the gospel of Christ. But even if we or an angel from Heaven preach a gospel to you beside what we preached to you, let him be accursed. As we said before, and now I say again, If anyone preaches a gospel to you beside what you have received, let him be accursed. For now do I persuade men, or God? Or do I seek to please men? For if I yet pleased men, I would not be a servant of Christ". Galatians 1: 6-10 (NKJV).

2 comments:

Brother Paul said...

I came across your blog while doing a search on "holiness". I immediately found a soladarity with your beliefs. I, too, believe that the church has sadly drifted away from holiness and has embraced a gospel of political-correctness and comfort. This is diametrically opposed to Jesus Christ's original warnings that all his believers would be persecuted, opposed, ridiculed and beaten. By shuning holiness, we emasculate the power of God in our lives!

Keep up the great posts!

Paul West

Timothy said...

"...I would have to compromise and be in agreement with things I know to be false."

And what if you discovered that those very things were true and you did not have to compromise?

Most people don't hate Catholicism, they hate the things they been told or taught about Catholicism.

Do your beliefs match the Nicene Creed? If so, you're closer to the Catholic Church than you realize.

http://www.spurgeon.org/~phil/creeds/nicene.htm

I would be glad to help you understand those things that you are uneasy with.

God bless...

- Timothy