"Baptist open to Ties With Catholics," proclaimed
a headline in The Columbus Dispatch, Ohio, June 17, 1994. The reference
was to the Southern Baptist Church, America’s largest Protestant church. The
International Herald-Tribune, June 27, 1998, headlined, "Catholics and
Lutherans Settle a Historic Doctrinal Dispute." Since the doctrine under
discussion was that which fired the Reformation—Justification by Faith—it
would seem thta Rome is making giant strides towards subduing the opposition
of Protestants to its unscriptural faith.
Such success has opened the pathway to the Christian
Coalition in the Unitited States where conservative Roman Catholics and
Evangelical Protestants have united to promote this political agendas, thus
preparing the United States to use political and judicial power to enforce
Rome’s eccliastical will.
The Protestant Moral Majority in the United States and its
alliance with Roman Catholic conservatives may appear to be a wise conjunction
of forces, designed to promote a political agenda aimed at raising the moral
standards of the nation. But it is a union bound to fulfill the role of the
United States prophesied in Revelation 13:11-18. Its claim that desirable
matters such as the equal rights of Afro-Americans were obtained by
legislative and judicial means and enforcements, therefore spiritual values
may be similarly uplifted in society, may appear persuasive to some who have
not studied the history of the use of the state to enforce religious
convictions. However, such moves can only result in persecution of dedicated
believers of different convictions. It is a pathway to disaster.
The Pope aims to control the world, especially focusing on
the United States. In this he fulfils Bible prophecy. He seeks to utilize the
Virgin Mary as his vehicle, even though she is dead (see the book, The
Mystery of Death, by the same authors, Hartland Publications,
800-774-3566).
"The Holy Father longs to visit the United States
one more time.…" Monsignor Stanislaw Dziwisz, the Pope’s private
secretary and longtime friend and collaborator, says behind John Paul II’s
longing to see America again is his wish to honor the Blessed Virgin, to
urge Americans to turn to her and to dramatically and symbolically link the
great Western democracy more closely to her. "I have no doubt he would
go," said Dziwisz in a conversation with Inside the Vatican,
"if his pilgrimage could be related to some Marian occasion…."
It’s apparent the Vatican, aware also of the grave moral and spiritual
crisis America is facing, is groping for a way to reach America, through
Mary, for the Gospel.…Much has been made of the need to consecrate Russia
to Mary’s immaculate heart. But the need to consecrate America to Mary is
now just as great—perhaps greater. (Inside the Vatican, Roman
Catholic Periodical, Editorial May, 1997).
The Pope’s proclamation, released on November 29, 1998,
in respect of the year 2000, is yet a further effort to expand his influence
to the United States and worldwide.
In a papal bull (the highest level of Papal
communication) entitled "Incarnationis Mysterium" [Mystery of the
Incarnation], Pope John Paul II proclaimed 2000 a Holy Year, and issued
edicts that serve as a practical guide to spiritual salvation during the
Jubilee. The Pope announced in the document Friday that throughout the
millennium celebration, penitents who do a charitable deed or give up
cigarettes or alcohol for a day can earn an "indulgence" that will
eliminate time in purgatory. (International Herald-Tribune, Nov. 29,
1998)
The doctrines of the practice of issuing indulgences and
purgatory were major unscriptural doctrines which largely contributed to the
great schism in Christianity in the sixteenth century. But the Pope has been
testing the waters during 1998 and has found them very friendly. In the
current ecumenical climate, a climate conducive to the benefit of the Roman
Catholic Church and no other, he believes that at the commencement of the
twenty-first century, these doctrines, formerly so abhorrent to Protestants,
will draw them near in their pathway back to Rome.
But by broadening the ways believers can earn an
indulgence beyond traditional Catholic rituals [such as attending mass,
performing the stations of the cross, and saying the Rosary], the Pope is
also trying to imbue indulgences with some of the ecumenical spirit he
wants to lend the celebrations (Ibid. - emphasis supplied).
In this aim he will only succeed if Protestants so permit.
The prophecies of Revelation Chapter 13 are fulfilling before our very eyes.
It is surely time for Christians of all faiths to be alert lest they be
deceived, to their eternal peril.
Protestants should realize the Pope stated in his Bull
that,
Participation in the Eucharist [the Mass], which is
required for all indulgences, should properly take place on the same day as
the prescribed works are performed. (Papal Bull Incarnationis Mysterium,
issued November 29, 1998.)
Many Protestant martyrs died rather than partake of the
blasphemy of the Mass. The Roman Catholic Church makes a number of
unscriptural claims concerning the Mass.
1. It is equally valuable as the cross of Christ.
2. That the priest can create his Creator.
3. That even if Christ had not come to the earth the participation in the
Mass would have been sufficient.
Read carefully the following quotations from approved Roman
Catholic books on the subject. These passages appear also in Chapter 7, but we
repeat them in order to emphasize their significance.
The Eucharistic sacrifice [the Mass] is to be considered
in so far as in it Jesus Christ offers Himself, that is, He is not only the
sacrificial gift, but also the most eminent sacrificer. In this respect the
Sacrifice of the Mass is not inferior in value to that of the Cross:
both are equally infinite, equally beyond all estimation and equally
valuable….The object offered on the altar…is Christ Himself, His Body
and Blood, His holy Humanity (Dr. Nicolas Gihr, The Holy Sacrifice of the
Mass, first published in German in 1877, English edition 1939, B. Herder
Book Co., St. Louis, p. 135 – this book bore the official imprimatur of
Archbishop Gleeson of St. Louis – emphasis added.)
If the person of the Redeemer had not yet been in the
world, the priest by pronouncing the words of consecration, would produce
this great person of a Man-God. "O wonderful dignity of the
priests," cries out St. Augustine, "in their hands, as in the womb
of the Blessed Virgin, the Son of God becomes incarnate." Hence the
priests are called the parents of Jesus Christ….The priest may, in a
certain manner, be called the creator of his Creator. "He that created
me without me, is Himself created by me!" (Alphonsus de Liguori, Dignity
and Duties of the Priest, Benziger Brothers Publishers, New York, 1888,
pp. 32, 33).
Well may we see why Scripture declares,
And there was given unto him [the first beast of
Revelation 13] a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies (Revelation
13:5).
No true Christian will deign to accept the Pope’s
indulgences, an indulgence God has never permitted him to offer. That is a
usurpation of God’s authority.
God has set out a salient fact — the majority will not
be saved. This fact applies even when we confine our vision to Christians or
to any one of the Christian sects. Let us remind ourselves of the indisputable
words of Scripture.
The remnant shall return, even the remnant of Jacob, unto
the mighty God. For though thy people Israel be as the sand of the sea, yet
a remnant of them shall return: the consumption decreed shall overflow with
righteousness (Isaiah 10:21,22).
This Old Testament prophecy was quoted by the apostle Paul
and applied to the last days.
Esaias also crieth concerning Israel, Though the number
of the children of Israel be as the sand of the sea, a remnant shall be
saved: For he will finish the work, and cut it short in righteousness:
because a short work will the Lord make upon the earth (Romans 9: 27,28).
Paul goes further and again quotes Isaiah who prophesied,
Except the Lord of hosts had left unto us a very small
remnant, we should have been as Sodom, and we should have been like unto
Gomorrah (Isaiah 1:9).
Paul’s words were,
And as Esaias said before, Except the Lord of Sabaoth had
left us a seed, we had been as Sodoma, and been made like unto Gomorrha
(Romans 9:29).
The seed to which Paul refers is the "very small
remnant."
It is this remnant of which Zephaniah prophesied of their
character,
The remnant of Israel shall not do iniquity, nor speak
lies; neither shall a deceitful tongue be found in their mouth: for they
shall feed and lie down, and none shall make them afraid (Zephaniah 3:13).
While the Scripture speaks of much religious zeal in the
end times in which we live, most of this will be unassociated with the
character possessed by the remnant. Rather will most citizens be filled with
the spirit of devils.
Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter
times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and
doctrines of devils (1 Timothy 4:1).
The religious will have experienced no real conversion but
rather a facade or form of godliness only.
This know also, that in the last days perilous times
shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters,
proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, Without
natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce,
despisers of those that are good, Traitors, heady, high-minded, lovers of
pleasures more than lovers of God; Having a form of godliness, but denying
the power thereof: from such turn away (2 Timothy 3:1-5).
Paul also wrote to Timothy describing an appalling
spiritual declension amongst those who are churchgoers.
For the time will come when they will not endure sound
doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers,
having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and
shall be turned unto fables (2 Timothy 4:3,4).
Such will no doubt go through the motions of religious
observance when the prophesied dire natural disasters strike (Matthew 24:7)
and even non-professors will comply with such requirements when severe
penalties are imposed for noncompliance.
But Satan will not pour out his wrath upon those who are
merely nominal in their Christian faith or who serve Him for matters of
expediency or self-serving motives. Only those who, in God’s grace and
power, possess characters fitted for heaven and thus obey all His commandments
including the Sabbath commandment, will feel the full fury of Satan
implemented by those claiming to be doing the bidding of God. Then will be
fulfilled Christ’s prophecy:
They shall put you out of the synagogues: yea, the time
cometh, that whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God service
(John 16:2).
Those receiving this wrath have been well described as the
remnant.
And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make
war against the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and
have the testimony of Jesus Christ (Revelation 12: 17).
But the remnant will accept Christ’s certain promise:
Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown
of life (Revelation 2:10).
For such martyrs, that price of heaven will be cheap enough.
Antichrist is Here — This book challenges the concept that the
Antichrist is a future being and demonstrates that Antichrist is present
today. It is compelling and thought provoking reading.
Education for Excellence: The Christian Advantage — Both authors
trained as elementary school teachers and taught for several years. Both have
lectured at the university level, and Colin has been the president of three
colleges. He is presently President of Hartland Institute which includes a
college.
Family Crisis: God’s Solution — Both authors have
studied secular psychology. Colin has a Ph.D. and Russell, a first-class
honors degree, in the discipline. But these concepts are discarded as the
biblical principles of psychology and counseling are set forth.
Georgia Sits on Grandpa’s Knee — A delightful children’s
storybook consisting of the experiences of Russell’s children during their
years of mission service in Southeast Asia.
Liberty in the Balance — This book traces the history of
religious liberty in Europe and North America, and the lessons to be learned
from it for today and the future.
Second Coming: Fervent Hope or Faded Dream — A survey of the
powerful biblical evidence and details concerning Christ’s second coming.
The Big Bang Exploded — This book demonstrates that evolution
cannot possibly account for the founding of the universe and that creation
alone centers on true aspects of science — biology, cosmology, and quantum
physics. Both authors have studied science. Russell is a physician
specializing in internal medicine.
The Evangelical Dilemma — Many doctrines of evangelical
Protestantism are examined and evaluated by the Scripture. Both authors are
ordained ministers of religion.
The Mystery of Death — The popular Christian view is challenged
from Scripture, and its pagan roots exposed.
The Sacrificial Priest — A fascinating account of the sanctuary
services and Christ’s ministry, so crucial to our salvation, in the most
holy place of the heavenly sanctuary.
You can find all these books and many more at
HARTLAND PUBLICATIONS
PO Box 1
Rapidan, VA 22733-0001
