In this world that we live in there are millions (billions?) of people who are indeed very religious, but at the same time they are very lost! I was numbered among that group until I was born again of the spirit (John 3:1-8) all the way back in 1989. I did not realize that I was in such bondage to man-made traditions until the Lord opened my eyes by the Holy Spirit. It is simply amazing how the Lord works, and how he is able to save a lost soul such as myself. That is the reason that I speak out so often against the false doctrines of Roman Catholicism, because I was formerly one of the deceived ones, held in the bondage of their man-made traditions.
If you take a look at the Vatican you will learn that the Vatican is a political religious system with the Holy See recognized as the official State, with the Pope in charge and they even have their own military, the Swiss Guard! When the Pope visits any other country, the whole world is put on notice. There are red carpet treatments wherever he goes, with millions spent on security. You will find people within the Roman Catholic clergy, such as the Cardinals, and Bishops, bending their knee to kiss the ring of Pope Francis. You will find people of all ages doing the very same thing wherever he goes throughout the world. Where is all of this stuff in the Bible, and what does it have to do with Jesus Christ? The answer is this: Absolutely NOTHING! It is the very same IDOLATRY which the true Christians fought against 500 years ago, and yet the modern day “Christians” are doing the exact opposite of what they did. Turn on your “Christian” television and you will find people such as James Robison slapping “high fives” with Pope Francis in Rome, or the Pope speaking to Kenneth Copeland’s church via of satellite! The Bible calls stuff like this APOSTASY, and I call it that too.
Here is some information that I gleaned from the CIA World Factbook:
Chief of state: Pope Francis (since 13 March 2013)
There are three tribunals responsible for civil and criminal matters within Vatican City; three other tribunals rule on issues pertaining to the Holy See.
The Holy See is supported financially by a variety of sources, including investments, real estate income, and donations from Catholic individuals, dioceses, and institutions; these help fund the Roman Curia (Vatican bureaucracy), diplomatic missions, and media outlets.
Pontifical Swiss Guard Corps (Corpo della Guardia Svizzera Pontificia) (2013)
[CIA World Factbook]
Out of this very center of religious deception flows forth rivers of man-made doctrines which have poisoned the souls of men for centuries. Over the centuries there have been multitudes who have been tortured and slain in fighting against the doctrines of Rome, with many being laid to the flames. One of the first books that I read after I got saved was Foxe’s Book Of Martyrs by John Foxe. That book should be on the required reading list of every true born again believer in Jesus Christ. What a blessing that book has been to me in my life as a Christian. Why? Because it contains the true stories of faithful Christians who took a stand against the false teachings of Rome! They stood against such doctrines as transubstantiation, which teaches that a Roman Catholic Priest (and him alone) has the power to change the bread (wafer) and wine into the ACTUAL body of Jesus Christ! They stood against the teaching of Purgatory, which is one of the most wicked teachings on planet earth! To this very day there are millions of precious Roman Catholics who will have Catholic Masses “said” for their loved ones in Purgatory, hoping that they will eventually gain Heaven. They also stood against the doctrine that the Pope is the head of the church. Listen to these faithful words of John Huss before he was killed for his stand against Rome:
“Not the Pope, but Christ only, is the head; and not the Cardinals, but all Christ’s faithful people, be the body of the Catholic Church. If the Pope be reprobate, it is plain that he is no head, no nor member even, of the Holy Church of God, but of the devil and his synagogue. Neither is it true, that we ought to stand in all things to the determination of the Pope and of the Cardinals, but so far forth as they do agree with the Holy Scripture of the Old and New Testament.”
[FOXE’S BOOK OF MARTYRS, John Foxe, Whitaker House, page 95]
Can you imagine your Pastor reading something like that from your pulpit on Sunday? Do you think that the Promise Keepers movement which is led by Bill McCartney, would allow an ex-Catholic to testify at one of their meetings, of how the Lord delivered them from the false system of Roman Catholicism? How about if that same person warned the Roman Catholics attending that they should leave their church also? I am not trying to be funny here but I am simply preaching what the Lord put on my heart.
We must not forget the people such as Martin Luther, who became enraged at people such as John Tetzel, who sold indulgences for Rome, which raised the money to build St Peter’s Basilica, which still stands in Rome today! John Tetzel preyed upon the poor Roman Catholic people and sold them indulgences, so that their loved ones could be set free from the non existent place called Purgatory! John Tetzel would carry a money chest with him with the following inscription written across it:
“As soon as the coin in the coffer rings, the soul from purgatory springs” [Catholic Encyclopedia]
[JOHN TETZEL – Roman Catholic Fundraiser]
That should break your heart if you are a true born again, Holy Spirit filled Christian. You may say, well that was a long time ago, and they do not sell indulgences any more. The Roman Catholic Church may not sell indulgences (but they still have indulgences), and they still offer Mass cards (for donations) for Masses to be said for “loved ones” in Purgatory. When I was younger the mass cards cost (donation) one dollar for a plain one, and five dollars for a fancy one with an image in a nice vinyl case. What difference does it make if a person is being deceived by indulgences or Mass Cards? Both of them give the false impression that there is a Purgatory, another place other than the Heaven and Hell which Jesus Christ preached about! I call that apostasy and I call that a false Gospel!
What is even more frightening is that we are living in a day when there are even more false doctrines in Roman Catholicism then there were in the time of the Protestant Reformation. The doctrine of Papal Infallibility was not official dogma until 1870! The doctrine of the Immaculate Conception (of Mary!) was not official dogma until 1854 The doctrine of Mary’s Assumption into Heaven was not official dogma until November 1, 1950! So there you have three, yes three more false doctrines since the time of the Reformation and what is the church doing about that? We ought to be ashamed of ourselves! Not only that but listen to what Paul Crouch has to say regarding this topic of Rome:
“Protestantism has come to an end. I am eradicating the word Protestant even out of my vocabulary. I am not protesting anything anymore. It is time for Catholics and non-Catholics to come together as one in the Spirit and one in the Lord”
[The late PAUL CROUCH: Trinity Broadcasting Network (TBN) ]
Sorry Paul, but the Holy Spirit is the Spirit of truth, (John 16:13) and He does not desire any true born again Christian, to join hands with any system that preaches a false Gospel. In fact it was the Holy Spirit who quickly moved me out of the Roman Catholic Church.. Not only that, but we have a Bible today in the hands of the common people because of faithful men and women who stood against Rome. If you check out the TBN Website you will discover a multitude of Roman Catholic books for sale, including books on how to pray the Rosary (prayers to Mary) and books about the Roman Catholic Mass!
I would like to say this. I believe in the gifts of the Holy Spirit, and I do not believe for one second that those gifts have ceased as some teach today. Not only that but I believe that it is absolutely insane to think that the gifts of the Spirit, have ceased. As long as the Holy Spirit is in the world there will be the gifts of the Holy Spirit! But I must also say this. The modern day church has been duped by the likes of the Roman Catholic Charismatic movement because it is still Roman Catholic. I know because I came out of that very movement. I attended Roman Catholic healing masses for close to three years, and they sing the same songs that are sung in Pentecostal churches today, and that is why they meet such little resistance from the modern day church. I have witnessed hundreds upon hundreds of people who were “slain in the Spirit” while hundreds (including myself) prayed the rosary (on our rosary beads) over and over again! The modern day Church has been convinced by their “anointed” leaders that Rome is not so bad. Does that not sound so much like the Devil himself?
I attended a large church in Manhattan for several years and one day my wife and I met a woman in the church lobby who was about the same age as us. We had a long talk with her, and she shared some things about the Christian different meetings that she had gone to over the years. I do not remember much about the original conversation, but we happened to meet her again about a year later standing in the same church lobby. She told us that she had hooked up with some Roman Catholic Charismatic ladies and that they had been meeting together. I looked her right in the eye and I told the woman to be careful, because the Catholic charismatics are still heavy into praying to Mary, and I also told her that that Roman Catholic Charismatic movement was very deceptive. The woman froze, and then she told me that she felt sick (her words) because she was already regularly praying the rosary with them at their request! I know a divine appointment when I see one! My God is faithful, and My Lord is so awesome to watch over his people!
That is the reason that I still write about the great deception of Roman Catholicism. I am not impressed by the Pastors and preachers of today who claim the “anointing” of God, while they rake in millions and fail to warn the people about this false system. I am not impressed with the likes of Benny Hinn who seeks the “anointing” from the bones of Kathryn Kuhlman at her grave, as he brings his “huff and puff gospel” to the multitudes. I have read many articles that said that Kathryn Kuhlman would often have many Roman Catholic Priests up on the stage with her! You can all it the “anointing” if you like, but I call it SPIRITISM! You call it revival if you like but I call it FALSE UNITY! I choose to follow the Lord Jesus Christ and the Word of God that rails against such apostasy! I choose to remember the faithful men, and women of God who stood against Rome, and thus enabled millions of lost wretched souls such as myself, to have the opportunity to know Jesus Christ! I am absolutely convinced that many of the biggest names in “Christianity” have been seduced by the system known as Roman Catholicism, many of whom are still praised and applauded as great “men and women of God” despite their apostasy! That is why I write so much about the false system of Roman Catholicism.