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Many evangelical pastors and teachers are quick to warn their flocks about the damnable errors of Mormonism and Jehovah's Witnesses, but when it comes to Roman Catholicism, they avoid its fatal gospel like the plague. This is shocking and disturbing because the combined population of Mormons and JW's is only 26 million, while the Roman Catholic Church has over 1.4 billion precious souls who need to hear the Gospel. The unwillingness of evangelical leaders to include Roman Catholicism among the false religions of the world is upsetting because it discourages evangelism in this huge mission field.
Unity Accords with Catholics Cause Confusion
Rarely, if ever, do we hear of an evangelical marrying a Mormon or a Jehovah's Witness. Yet every week we get emails and phone calls from concerned parents whose son or daughter is pursuing marriage with a Catholic. Is this because pastors boldly forewarn their congregation about the heresies of these cults but silently shy away from any mention of Roman Catholicism's distorted gospel? It appears we are witnessing the devastating consequences of the unity accords between Evangelicals and Roman Catholics that imply we share a common faith in the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Thousands of Catholics die every day never knowing they were deceived because these unity accords have discouraged evangelism.
Unity at the Expense of Truth is Treason
Throughout the history of the church, Satan has unleashed his fiery darts against the Gospel of God. He is most successful when he seduces people to compromise the Gospel for the sake of unity. Charles Spurgeon could not have given us a more sober warning when he said, "To pursue union at the expense of truth is treason to the Lord Jesus." This is what over 600,000 evangelicals have done by signing unity accords with Catholics. There can be no God-honoring unity when the purity and exclusivity of the Gospel is at stake. We must avoid being unequally yoked with unbelievers (2 Cor. 6:14-18).
Catholic Clergy Preaches a False Gospel
Any religious teaching or tradition that adds to, or takes away from, the perfect, finished, all-sufficient work of Jesus Christ is a false gospel. That is why the apostle Paul, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, wrote: "If we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you a Gospel contrary to what we have preached to you, he is to be accursed!" (Gal. 1:8). That means every clergy member of the Catholic Church is under divine condemnation for preaching another gospel. Rome's way of salvation is not only another gospel, but it is the antithesis of the true Gospel. It focuses on what Catholics must DO to be saved instead of what Jesus has DONE to save sinners. According to the Catechism of the Catholic Church, their list of requirements includes: they must be baptized (1256), receive sacraments (1129), go to purgatory for the purification of sins (1030), do good works (2016), keep the law (2068) and participate in the weekly sacrifice of the Mass (1405) for salvation. Rome's false gospel shuts the gates of heaven to those who are trying to enter it. There is nothing more diabolical than deceiving people about life's most critical issue.
Catholicism Rejects God's Promise of Eternal Life
The promise of God in the Gospel is eternal, everlasting life with our Savior (1 John 2:25). Yet this divine promise is purposefully rejected by Roman Catholicism. Catholics are taught they commit the sin of presumption if they believe in this promise of God (2092). They are said to be presuming on God's mercy because no one can know how much merit is required to achieve eternal life (2027). This doctrine keeps Catholics in bondage to their false religion, which is the goal of every false religion! Only by knowing and believing God's truth can people ever be set free from religious deception (John 8:31-32). We must warn Catholics and love them enough to tell them the truth of God's inspired Word.
Contend for the Gospel's Purity and Exclusivity
In closing, we must warn ecumenically minded leaders who are silent about the errors of Roman Catholicism. It is our prayer that they will expose the evil deeds of darkness in obedience to God's Word (Eph. 5:11). We must urge them to contend for the Gospel because many are being misled and deceived by distorted gospels that have no power to save anyone. Let us encourage people to trust the inspired Word of God over the uninspired words of men. The Bible is the only antidote to the deadly poison of false teachers. God's Word will provide:
- truth where there is deception,
- knowledge where there is ignorance,
- confidence where there is doubt,
- certainty where there is confusion, and
- light where there is darkness.
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