Catholics at the Holy See in Rome were ecstatic when Pope Francis I was chosen by the cavalcade of Cardinals to be Holy Father. The media became enamored and it seemed this Jesuit would lead a reformation within the Vatican itself and show the world what pure Christianity looks like. Pope Francis has been seen blessing the poor, washing the feet of unbelievers and living in his old apartment not the Vatican Estate. It seemed for once, the Viscar of Christ was a man of true conviction. Then came his speech yesterday and the new hope that Catholics and Christians had was reduced to nothing.
Here is what Pope Francis said:
"The Lord has redeemed all of us, all of us, with the Blood of Christ: all of us, not just Catholics. Everyone! 'Father, the atheists?' Even the atheists. Everyone! And this Blood makes us children of God of the first class. We are created children in the likeness of God and the Blood of Christ has redeemed us all. And we all have a duty to do good. And this commandment for everyone to do good, I think, is a beautiful path towards peace. If we, each doing our own part, if we do good to others, if we meet there, doing good, and we go slowly, gently, little by little, we will make that culture of encounter: We need that so much. We must meet one another doing good. 'But I don't believe, Father, I am an atheist!' But do good: We will meet one another there." (npr, parallels, KQED, http://www.npr.org/blogs/parallels/2013/05/29/187009384/Pope-Francis-Even-Atheists-Can-Be-Redeemed).
Francis has radically misinterpreted the verse that says, "Jesus Christ died for the sins of all mankind." (1 Peter 3:18). Yes Our Savior paid the debt for all mankind's sin, but it must be accepted by a believer to be effective. Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life and no one goes to the Father except through me." (John 14:6). Christ is making it clear that the only way to dwell in the presence of his Heavenly Father is to believe in Him. Christ's blood covers those who "declare with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.." (Romans 10:9). We are only guaranteed eternal life if we choose to believe in Christ's incarnation, death, resurrection, ascension, and return. Pope Francis has twisted this and is making a radical statement that it doesn't matter if you are a Christian, long as you do good works. His holiness says atheists will meet with believers in Heaven and be exempt from damnation if they just do good. This is the False Gospel of Works and it undermines the entire Christian Faith. Pope Francis' sentiments actually nullifies his own existence and the entire purpose of the Catholic Church! If you can get to Heaven by just doing good than there is no reason for the Church to exist at all. Evangelism becomes eradicated and all forms of immorality are permissible long as you balance them with good works. This thinking that you can do good works and be saved is a lie. Christ made it clear in John 3:16, that we can only be saved if we "believe in Him."
What Pope Francis has fallen into is the Universalism Trap. He like Pastor Rob Bell, think that all races and religions can come together in unity and if they just do good they will all be together in paradise. However, Scripture contradicts this to the very core. "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9 not by works, so that no one can boast." (Ephesians 2:8-9. NIV). It is by Christ's unmerited favor that we will be saved from a fiery fate in forever burning furnace.
Redemption is available to those who will receive God's Gift of Salvation through Jesus Christ. Think of it like a Bank. You owe a debt to your Bank of sin and you can never pay it off. It continues to build interest every time you transgress and in the end the Bank will claim your life. However, Jesus Christ has come and offered to pay the debt and give you eternal life. But to acquire that Eternal Life you must present the certificate or seal of your salvation to the Bank. Once the Bank receive verification that Christ has signed off on your debt you are free and clear forever. The problem is you have to get the approval first. Christ did die for all humanity, but in order for the Bank of Sin to clear us, we must be sealed by Him (Ephesian 13:1, NIV).
In truth I had premonition that Pope Francis wasn't the figurehead everyone was hoping he would be. I felt something was off about him, but reserved my judgment. I was hoping this Jesuit would turn the Catholic Church back to Jesus, but instead he has tainted The Gospel. Christ's blood does make us his Children, but only if we accept the Gospel and believe it in our hearts and minds (Romans 10:10, NIV). You can't just live a secular life and even hate Christ and be covered by his blood! It doesn't work that way Pontiff! I can't believe his statement, that he would choose the popular Universalism and False Gospel of Works instead of the "The Way, the Truth, and the Life." What this world wants is unity, but they want it without Christ. The truth is that unity lies in Christ, not apart from Him. When we become part of the family of Christ, race and gender no longer matters (Galatians 3:28). I have been to En Gedi, Israel and people from all over the World came together to worship Jesus Christ with Paul Wilbur. In that moment we were one as the world desires, but God doesn't want us to be unified without him. He wants to be the center of that unity and Pope Francis and many other Universalists are trying to create a unity that can never exist outside of Christ. If the entire world would embrace Jesus Christ according to the Bible we would be unified. But egos and the desire for control inhibits that goal.
What Satan tricked us into believing in Eden is that "we can be in control." We are deceived into thinking that if we can just be in control of our lives we will have peace. When in truth peace only comes when we relinquish control of our lives to Christ. Jesus didn't model the pattern of control for us, he showed us how to be servants (Matthew 23:11). Servants are the polar opposites of controllers; they care about the needs of others.
What is going to happen is a wave of persecution. Christians who hold to the belief that you are only saved through Jesus Christ will become outcasts and labeled intolerant-dogmatic-fundamentalists. This False-Christianity based on works and not on Christ will take off and sway many into It's movement. Pope Francis has hung himself. If he professes to be right about doing good is enough no matter your beliefs then his office as Vicar of Christ is irrelevant! The Pope is then saying Peter, the Father of the Catholic Church preached The Gospel in vain. That Paul and the rest of the Apostles lived and died for The Gospel in vain. Pope Francis is claiming that we can merit Heaven by simply doing good deeds. I guess His Holiness has forgotten that Christ himself commissioned us to "Go forth to all nations and preach the Gospel in the name of The Father, The Son, and The Holy Spirit." (Mark 16:15, Matthew 28:19).
What the Pope has pontificated is absolute apostasy! Pope Francis has falsely spoken against what all Catholics & Christians believe! He has blasphemed and spoken heresy! He must repent and recant these sentiments publicly! Francis must forsake these anti-Christ beliefs before Satan ensnares people's minds and enslaves them in this philosophy of perpetual. Christ has done it all, but you must believe he did it! You can't merit salvation through good acts. In fact, Jesus Christ said "only God is good" (Mark 10:18, NIV & NLT & KJV).
You see if we buy into this false gospel of works, we then get to be in control. We decide what is enough to satisfy our self righteousness. I could decide that washing my hands seven times a day makes me holy enough or good enough. I can decide that giving five dollars a day to the poor makes me good enough. It's all about control, all other religions are control based. You either in control or are controlled in the other religions. You have to do works in Buddhism, Hinduism, Islam, Shintoism, Daoism, New Age, and all the other false religions. You are constantly on a treadmill of sanctification. Christianity is different, God decided to do all the work for us and all he asks in return is to "believe in own hearts and confess with our mouth that Jesus Christ is Lord and savior."(Romans 10:9). We just have to believe, no doing works, just believe what the Bible says. The works that follow come from a transformation from within. By accepting Christ into our lives and hearts, his Spirit changes our character and produces good works. The good works themselves merit nothing, they are a fruit that comes from the salvation already available to us when we believe.
I shall end with the only way to be in God's presence and live in paradise:
"For God So Loved The World, He Gave His Only Begotten Son (Jesus Christ), Whosoever Believes in Him (Jesus Christ) Shall Not Perish But Have Eternal Life." (John 3:16).
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