| E C U M E N I C A L I S S U E S | ||
|---|---|---|
| By OPAL REDDIN
IF we are to converse meaningfully about the subject of “ecumenism,” we must define our terms so we can know we are talking about the same thing. We need definitions for the following: “ecumenism”; “ecumenical”; “modern ecumenical organisation”; “ecumenical movement.” “Ecumenical” Can Be a Good, Useful Term“Ecumenical” derives from the Greek term oikoumene; it is of course a good word, used 15 times in the New Testament; it always means either “the inhabited world or ear th” or “inhabitants of the world” (Cf. Mt. 24;14; Lk. 2:1; 4:5; 21:26; Ac. 11:28; 17:6, 31; 19:27; 24:5; Rom. 10:18; Heb. 1:6; 2:5; Rev. 3:10; 12:9; 16:14). Webster’s Dictionary has: “ecumenical: the inhabited world; worldwide in extent or influence.” Any activity that encompasses the world or involves the inhabitants of the world can be described as “ecumenical.” Of course, the prime example is the spread of the Gospel to the whole world, according to the Great Commission of our Lord. The First Century Church so evangelised their world that Paul could write to the saints in Rome that the Gospel had gone to the ends of the oikoumene (Romans 10:18). The term can also be used in a secular sense with no undesirable implications, such as “an ecumenical conference on world hunger.”When “Ecumenical” Becomes a Dangerous Term“Ecumenical” becomes a dangerous term when it is combined with “movement” and applied to churches and Christians. Webster defines “ecumenical movement” as “a planned bringing together of all Christians into visible unity”; most ecumenical organisations define the “ecumenical movement” as a means to show the world all Christians are in unity. The claim is made that this is to answer Jesus’ prayer in John 17:22. While “Webster” does not have to be concerned about the definition of “Christian” and “unity,” we do! The fact is that the current ecumenical movement always brings together some who are true to the doctrines of the Word of God with some who are not. There is no Christian unity where there is not unity in the faith once for all delivered to the saints (Jude 3).The True Body of Christ IS In UnityIn His prayer Jesus specified the kind of persons who can be in unity as He is in unity with the Father (John 17:22b). He made clear the desired unity would be a spiritual unity (17:5; 10:30), unity in Truth (17:17), and in agape Love (17:23,26). The fact that seems to be commonly overlooked is that Jesus’ prayer HAS ALREADY been answered and continues to be answered until He claims His Bride. The world sees hundreds of denominations; God sees the One Church, the Body of Christ, which includes some from many denominations. *2 The only way to be in the true Church is to be placed into the Body of Christ by the Holy Spirit in regeneration:“...the Body is one . . .all the members are one . . .for by one Spirit we were all baptised into one Body” (1 Corinthians 12: 12-13). “You are all one in Christ Jesus” (Galatians 3: 28). Jesus’ prayer WAS answered as Acts 2 records. The disciples were in the unity of the Spirit since “all were filled with the Holy Spirit” (2: 4), they were in unity of Truth as “they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine” (2: 42), and they were in unity of Love (2: 43-44). The original unity of the Church was gradually broken by heretical teachers and their followers as recorded, for example, in Jesus’ letters to the seven churches (Revelation 2-3). Jesus warned five of the churches He would be leaving their midst if they did not repent. Would an ecumenical conference have helped them? It would only have established them more deeply in their backsliding. The ONLY way the whole Body of Christ can again have visible unity before the world is for all to be of the same doctrine and experience as that first church. The Wrong Kind of “Unity”The modern ecumenical movement is promoted generally by the World Council of Churches and the Roman Catholic Church. It gets most of its momentum from the Roman Catholic Pontifical Council on Ecumenism. Their PURPOSE was verbalised succinctly at Vatican II.Speaking of “dialogue with separated brethren,” the following plan was recorded: The results will be that, little by little, as the obstacles to perfect ecclesiastical communion are overcome, all Christians will be gathered, in a common celebration of the Eucharist, into the UNITY OF THE ONE AND ONLY CHURCH. (“Documents of Vatican II” by Flannery, p. 456). The World Council of Churches has contributed to the breaking down of doctrinal standards for many denominations and has promoted the ecumenical movement; however the WCC is now drawing closer and closer to the Catholics because the Roman Church has AUTHORITY, vested in an “infallible pope.” When Nehemiah was leading God’s people in the rebuilding of the walls, his archenemies Sanballat, Tobiah, and Geshem saw the Jews’ success. When they could not stop the people of God, they tried another ruse. They sent an invitation to Nehemiah inviting him to dialogue in the plain of Ono. Nehemiah said, “Ono? Oh, no! I am doing a great work so that I cannot come down.” He knew their PURPOSE was evil; he stayed the course and was successful (Nehemiah 6:1-15). Pentecostal denominations in general, and the Assemblies of God in particular, have experienced great success as defined scripturally. Now the Sanballats and Tobiahs want to dialogue with us! Our response should be, like Nehemiah’s, “no, no, no.” *1 A Church that admittedly plans to bring all other churches under its control leads the ecumenical movement. For example, “Father” Ray Ryland, a professor of theology at Franciscan University in Steubenville, OH, works with “Coming Home Network,” an organisation whose purpose is to “draw in separated brethren.” In an article in THIS ROCK, March 2000, he explains how Catholics are to carry out Vatican II’s ecumenical agenda, both covertly and overtly. He writes, The goal of Catholic ecumenism is to restore unity to the separated traditions by bringing them within the unity of the Catholic Church. What About “Celebrate Jesus 2000”?“Father” Ryland’s efforts were seen in the ecumenical gathering in St Louis where Catholics outnumbered all other denominations. According to publicity brochures, Franciscan University had the task of administering the ecumenical event on June 22-25, 2000. Sponsored by the North American Renewal Service Committee NARSC), an ecumenical organisation, the event drew together many denominations, some Pentecostal ministers joining with Catholic priests in leading workshops or in worship. It is essential that we remember the Roman Catholic priests who participate have an agenda. If they were not loyal to the pope in his encyclical Ut Unum Sint That They May Be One), they would not remain priests. Pope John Paul II is not a Charismatic, but he is willing to tolerate and “use” those who speak in tongues to accomplish his nefarious purpose. Let the sheep be warned, and let true shepherds be alert.While some AoG ministers participated in the ecumenical celebration, some others sent forceful, well-written letters, asking our leaders not to participate. I am aware of the quality of the letters because some who know my concern for the doctrinal purity of the AoG Movement sent copies to me. The Assemblies of God Has SpokenThe General Council of the Assemblies of God RE-EMPHASIZED a bylaw of long standing in their biennial meeting in St Louis in ‘95. Article IX, Section 11, states:The General Council of the Assemblies of God disapproves of ministers or churches participating in any of the modern ecumenical organisations on a local, national, or international level in such a manner as to promote the ecumenical movement because: a. We believe the basis of doctrinal fellowship of said movement to be so broad that it includes people who reject the inspiration of Scripture, the deity of Christ, the universality of sin, the substitutionary atonement, and other cardinal teachings that we understand to be essential to biblical Christianity. b. We believe the emphases of the ecumenical movement to be at variance with what we hold to be biblical priorities, frequently displacing the urgency of individual salvation with social concerns. c. We believe that the combination of many religious organisations into a world super church will culminate in the religious Babylon of Revelation 17 and 18. Assemblies of God ministers who participated in “Celebration Jesus 2000” were in violation of this bylaw. By definition, NARSC is a “modern ecumenical organisation” and “Celebrate Jesus 2000” was an ecumenical conference. “Celebrate Jesus 2000” covered the ecumenical agenda under the umbrella of common Charismatic experience. However, spiritual experience ALONE can never be the basis for unity. Unity must be based on sound DOCTRINE. “If anyone comes with another doctrine, do not receive him....for he who greets him shares in his evil deeds” (2 John 10,11). Peter was a Spirit-filled Pentecostal (or Charismatic if you choose) when he began to side with the Judaisers in their legalistic heresy; Paul rebuked him publicly for his hypocrisy (Galatians 2:11-16). Roman Catholic dogma promotes the same kind of legalism Paul anathematised. Peter repented; thus good fellowship was preserved in the unity of the faith (Acts 15: 7-11; 1 John 1:7). What Would Jesus Do?If Jesus had been ecumenical, He would have lovingly dialogued with the Jewish leaders who loved God (as they defined “God”) and were totally engrossed in “doing good,” just as are the leaders of the ecumenical movement today. He would have practised “reconciliation” with all who named the name of Jehovah, and He could have escaped the Cross. Just one problem: where would we be if He had? One of our ministers who is deeply involved in ecumenism, has told me repeatedly, “If anyone says, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ he is my brother regardless of what else he may believe.” He has forgotten Jesus’ own statement early in His ministry that many who say to Him, “Lord, Lord . . .,” have never known Him. False cults say, “Jesus is Lord,” but then they qualify what they mean by “Lord.” New Agers have Jesus as one of their “lords.” To make Jesus Lord in one’s life requires accepting the Word of God as completed in the 66 books of the Canon, without adding Tradition and false prophecies. This eliminates false cults, including Roman Catholicism.What Would Paul Do?If Paul had been ecumenical, he would never have rebuked Peter or pronounced God’s anathema on those who preached “another gospel”! In fact, he would not have been arrested and sent to Nero if he had only practised “reconciliation” with all who claimed to be Christians.If Paul were alive today, he would again rebuke those teaching wrong doctrine regardless of their spiritual experiences. The fact that some Catholics speak in tongues proves nothing except that if the Holy Spirit genuinely gives the glossolalia, then He will lead them away from error to Truth. When they insist on the biblical doctrine of salvation through Christ’s finished work of Calvary, with absolutely no necessity for the RCC sacraments, they will be excommunicated if they do not leave of their own accord. Mormons also speak in tongues. How long before we “unite” with them? Their doctrines are not much farther away from orthodoxy than are those of the RCC. Hasn’t the RC Church Changed Its Doctrines?Anyone can by reading the latest Catholic Catechism (1995) see that all the heretical teachings of past centuries, plus some new ones, are there: the placing of ultimate authority in CHURCH TRADITION and the Papacy rather than in the 66 canonical books of the Holy Bible; the sacramentalism of the Church as necessary to salvation; Transubstantiation, i.e., the receiving of grace by partaking of the Eucharist which is claimed to be the real body and real blood of Jesus; Mariolatry with prayers made to Mary everywhere as if she is omnipresent; Purgatory which most must endure before going to be with the Lord; and Indulgences for future sin. Check this book out of your library and read it for yourself. Roman Catholic theology presents “another Gospel” (Galatians 1:1- 9) and “another Jesus” (2 Corinthians 11:4).The hypocrisy of the leaders in the Catholic Charismatic movement is seen in bold relief by the fact that they deny the Eucharist (the Lord’s Supper or Communion) even to those they wish to “unite” with at ecumenical celebrations. At the time of “Celebrate Jesus 2000,” I sent an email to the Franciscan University connection asking, “Will there be a celebration of the Eucharist at ‘Celebrate Jesus 2000’?” I received a reply, “Yes, for the Roman Catholics in their one separate morning meeting.” I then asked, “Why cannot the others participate if all are celebrating the same Jesus?” I received no reply to that. The correct answer would be, “They are not celebrating the same Jesus.” They celebrate a Jesus who must die daily; they crucify Him afresh in each Mass. True Christian faith rests in the Lord Jesus Christ who said, “It is finished!” and arose to prove it. Ecumenism Cannot Change God’s TRUTHThere is a line of cleavage forming in Christendom. Reverend James Bridges, General Treasurer of the Assemblies of God, stated to a meeting of leading AoG educators:There are many putting down denominations today, but I would rather have the multiple denominations which have emerged out of the Reformation, than be held in the bondage of a Roman colossus that continues to keep its devotees in superstition, ignorance and spiritual darkness. Beware the ecumenical movement afloat today lest when the new garb is removed it shows itself to be the same old bondage (personal file). NOW is the time to pray and to speak; if we are silent, we can lose our doctrinal integrity. Our Lord is Truth, a Person; the Bible is Truth, a book. The Holy Spirit brings them together in our genuine experience! The current ecumenical movement is antithetical to our Lord’s commission to preach the Gospel to every creature. We know too much and have been given too much to think of surrendering to the spirit of ecumenism. The eternal destiny of millions of people rests in our hands; if we are not true their blood will be on our hands. History will record your decision. What legacy will you bequeath to your children and their children? We must be true at any cost! This article was originally written in 2000; and updated October 13, 2003. *1 EDITORIAL COMMENT – In our opinion AoG did experience success as defined biblically in the early days, but the numeric achievements of our times are questionable. Sadly the AoG dialogue with Sanballat and Tobiah started a long time ago. *2 IN ANSWER TO A QUESTION as to whether this included individual Jews, this email was sent 10/04/04 Dear CWM, Thank you for your good note! The answer to your question is YES, YES, YES! The Gospel is for the Jew first (Rom. 1:16), and we are all ONE in Christ Jesus (Gal. 3:28). It never occurred to me to make that specifically clear in my writing. In the Name of the Risen Christ, Opal Reddin [ TOP ] ... [ BACK ] Appeared in CETF 28 2004 "...contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints" -- Jude v3 |
Details HERE...  Order HERE.. |
|
-Last revised-