ECUMENISM & THE ONE WORLD RELIGION (Part 1)

Topic:
ECUMENISM & THE ONE WORLD RELIGION 1

Bible Text:

"When they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape"(1 Thessalonians 5:3)


The purpose of ecumenism is to bring about peace and safety/unity. Among all people of goodwill.

As good as it may sound.. Nothing is wrong with peace and unity, yes but we have to be careful when it comes with uniting with the world.

What does the Bible say about uniting with the world?

*Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness*?( 2 Corinthians 6:14)

It is important to note that there will be no peace and safety in this world until Christ, who is the Only Prince of Peace returns..

All that is happening will increase, and not decline, until Jesus comes.( Matthew 24:7-8)

This world and everything that is it is doomed for destruction;so any attempt to bring about peace and safety would be futile(false peace) 2 Peter 3:8-11)

We should all look up to our heavenly home, where there will be no more sorrows, tears, death etc...( Revelation 21:4)


Ecumenism:The term "ecumenism" refers to efforts by Christians of different church traditions to develop closer relationships and better understandings. It  also refer  to the *unity between religions* and people in general, in a non-sectarian, non-denominational sense.

The ecumenical vision comprises both the search for the visible unity of the Church (Ephesians 4:3) and the "whole inhabited earth.

So we see what the purpose of Ecumenism is: to *unite the whole world together*.

But before they could reach out to the whole world, they started with the Churches.

Because they know that there is no way, the Christians would  agree to this without uniting them as one body.

Only when they achieve this can they achieve that of the whole world.


One understanding of the ecumenical movement is that it came from the Roman Catholic Church's attempts to reconcile with Christians who had become separated over theological issues. Others see the
1910 World Missionary Conference as the birthplace of the ecumenical movement.

So, we can see where all these things are coming from?

*What was the cause of the separation*?

 It all started when Reformation took place, 500 years ago in Germany, as Martin Luther (1483-1546) tried to *reform* Catholic Church. His attempt to do so instead led to a schism in the church.



On October 31, 1517, the publication of his *Ninety-Five Theses, which outlined various abusive practices of the church*, is considered the founding event that led to this division in Germany and the creation of the Protestant Church.



They claim to worship the same God, but the *principles of their faiths are different*

 *These are some of their differences*:


1. For Protestant Christians, Luther made clear that the Bible is the "Sola Skriptura," meaning *Only Scriptures alone. *Their beliefs are only Bible based*.


Catholics, on the other hand, do not base their beliefs on the Bible alone. Along with the Holy Scripture, they are *additionally bound by the traditions of the Roman Catholic Church*.

2. Catholic Church sees itself as the only true church worldwide, under the leadership of the pope.

3. The Pope: the Pope is the head of the Church, and has ecclesiastical powers to amend and change God's laws.

4. Sacraments: In the Roman Catholic Church, there are seven solemn rites, called sacraments: baptism, confirmation, the Eucharist, matrimony, penance, holy orders and extreme unction.

5. Marian dogmas and the worship of Saints: The Roman Catholic Church reveres Mary, the mother of Jesus, as *Queen of Heaven*." And she is also venerated. However, there are few biblical references to support the Catholic Marian dogmas,  and the worship of Saints: which include the Immaculate Conception, her perpetual virginity and her Assumption into heaven. This is why they are rejected by Protestants.

So these are some of the differences why they separated.

 *The Reconciliation*

In recent years they've been attempts to reconcile the both Churches (the Catholics and the Protestants together)


In 2016-2017, a year of commemoration of the Reformation( 500 years) was characterized by an ecumenical approach. In the past, Protestant churches had celebrated major Reformation anniversaries by remembering Martin Luther as a hero — but in recent years that approach changed.

The year 2017 was known as the year of *the healing of the wound*

Does that sound familiar?

Revelation 13:3 talks about the beast that was wounded and later his head was healed and the whole world wondered after it.

 *When did he receive this wound*?

The Catholic church had  a Church and State union, this gave the Church tremendous and absolute power. The church even confirmed kings on their throne giving them the divine right to rule. The Catholic Church became very rich and powerful during the Middle Ages. ... Because the church was considered independent, they did not have to pay the king any tax for their land. Leaders of the church became rich and powerful. Some cases, Church authorities (notably the Pope, the head of the Catholic Church) held more power than kings or queens and her laws had to be obeyed.

So because of this, thy did what ever they liked, with no one to question them. They added many so many man made tradition to the church, and removed the ones they didn't like.

During the dark ages, they persecuted and killed the reformers who protested against some of these man made traditions. ( Daniel 7: 19-25)

 All these ended  when the French troops commanded by Napoleon Bonaparte defeated the papal troops and occupied the Papal States in 1796.

 In 1798, upon his refusal to renounce his temporal power,  Pope Pius VII was taken prisoner and transported to France, there he died as a prisoner.

That was the end of the Roman Catholic Church. That was how they lost world adulation and supremacy.

People were set free, there was democracy.

 But the Bible also made us to understand that this wound would be healed, and the Pope would regain it's world dominance again; that was not just the end.
She would be revived again in the last days, and would do what she did in the time past;this time around she would not be alone.( She would persecute God's children)

The Bible says in Revelation 17:11-12 that the Kings of the world would give their powers to the beast.(papal Rome)

How would this happen if not when they *The Healing of the wound*

In the year 1999, Catholics and Lutheran signed a  “Joint Declaration on the Doctrine of Justification.” Effectively putting an *end to Luther’s main protest*

https://m.ncregister.com/daily-news/healin
g-the-reformations-wounds-with-the-theology-of-the-body


Then in In January 2014,  Tony Palmer was sent by Pope Francis as a special envoy to a Charismatic Evangelical Leadership Conference hosted by Kenneth Copeland.

There he(Kenneth Copeland) declared that the protest was over, and that we have become one with the Catholics now.


https://youtu.be/rMr_JcoQ7L

The protest is over, that they're no longer protesting.

The wound has been healed.

This is Bible prophecy fulfilling before our very eyes.

The protest is over, the wound has been healed, the world is wondering after the beast(Papal Rome) now.

 https://youtu.be/fxup_QnfSHg


 Someone may ask, what is wrong with Christians coming together and becoming one?

After all, was is not the prayer that our Lord Jesus made in John 17 that the believers should be one just like He and the Father are one?

People who support Ecumenism also quote Ephesians 4:4 and 4:13.



Some of them innocently defend their actions by saying that the bible spoke about this unity.

But, that is not the case.
They're quoting these bible texts out of contexts.

What is the bone of contention here: *FAITH*( Beliefs)

Paul says in Ephesians 4:5
*One Lord(Jesus Christ) One FAITH, one Baptism*

The question is, are we all one in these?

Do we have one Faith?
foundational teachings of the church. There is room for liberty regarding non–essentials in the body of Christ (Romans 14). However, there are some fundamentals which every Christian should accept. These foundations of the faith are important for true unity within the church.

And the Christian foundation is built upon the prophets and the Apostles, with Jesus Christ our chief corner stone.


Do we have One Baptism?

We believe that the our beliefs are based on the bible and the bible alone, but some do not believe in that.

The bible teaches about Baptism by immersion, some practice Baptism by sprinkling.


Some of these doctrines are essential for our Salvation and should  be taken seriously.

That is why we must not neglect them, because they deal with our eternal life(our salvation)


If the early Church then, didn't see anything wrong with it, why did they try to reform the system?

They tried to reform the system but instead it resulted to separation.

It's better we're separated and are doing the will of God, than to be united in error and doing the will of the devil.

 Some denominations allow gay marriage/relationships and even go as far as ordaining gay preachers, when the bible calls homosexuality an abomination( Leviticus 20:13)

Some approve abortions, etc...

There is confusion everywhere.

How can we be united with such diverse doctrines?
That is what is called unity in ERROR, but they call it, u city in diversity.

Christ is coming for a PURE Church, undefiled Church, unified in TRUTH not in Error.

All these confusions are known as Babylon.

The Bible says, "come out of her"


We must come into the "unity of FAITH and Knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect Man unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ" (Ephesians 4:13)

*We must not be "*tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine*, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive" (Ephesians 4:14)



Fear of being rejected and called all sorts of names may lead many people to join the rest of the world.

If all the Churches would  all do away w Will God's Children be united?

A time is coming when the prayers of our Lord Jesus will come to pass, but those who will be united under one Lord, one Faith and one Baptism will be few compared to the whole world, who will be united in error.

Let us always remember that narrow is the way that leads to eternal life.
*And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd*(John 10:16)

"My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.( John 10:27)