"Woe unto them that call evil good,
and good evil; that put darkness for light,
and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for
bitter!"
Isaiah 5:20
As I write this, Pope John Paul II is near death.
Once he draws his last breath, a Vatican official will
lightly tap three times upon the deceased pontiff's forehead with a
golden hammer and call his name. Upon receiving no reply, the cardinal
chamberlain will remove John Paul's fisherman's ring and smash it. Thus begins
the pagan Romish spectacle of choosing and crowning a new pope.
The pope's death is the dawn of a defining moment for
all who claim to be born-again followers of Jesus Christ, whether they
call themselves Protestant or evangelical or just plain Christian. It
does not take a prophet to state that the passing of Pope John Paul II
will trigger a flood of statements and discussions among Christian
pro-family leaders, talk show hosts, and nationally known preachers. It
also does not take a prophet to know that the dead pope will have
mountains of compliments heaped upon him by many of those same
individuals. Going a step further, it is safe to say that the
presupposition underlying those eulogies and the recurring theme at the
heart of them will be that the pope was a wonderful, godly man, a
Christian who is now in heaven.
As I said, this is a defining moment. It is, in fact,
an evangelistic moment catching the attention of virtually the entire
world. What should any true follower of Jesus say about such a man as
Pope John Paul II? What should one who has assumed a role as a
shepherd of Christ's flock or a spokesman for His Church say about the pope? Plainly and simply put, they should say that
John Paul II was a counterfeit, a minister of Satan (2 Corinthians
11:13-15). They should tell the truth that he was an accursed man who
deceived millions. Those who cannot tell the truth should not say
anything. Those evangelical leaders who feel so compelled to express
their affection and respect for Pope John Paul II do not seem to know or
care that they are at the same time showing anything but love for the
Roman Catholic people whom the pope has deceived and enslaved. They are
certainly not showing respect for the Word of God which the pope, that
man of sin, trod underfoot and the blood of Jesus which he counted as an
unholy thing.
The pope preached the false Roman Catholic gospel
which features a false Christ who cannot save without the aid of priests
practicing pagan rituals and penitents performing works and a pagan
goddess sharing her favors. The pope blasphemed the Lord Jesus Christ as
a way of life, most especially during the mass when he claimed to call
down our Great High Priest from the right hand of the Majesty in heaven
and turn Him into a wafer and a goblet of wine. The pope blasphemed
against the Holy Spirit, claiming to displace Him as Christ's substitute
and voice on this earth. The pope championed the cause of the Roman
Catholic Virgin Mary goddess. He prayed to her, worshiped her, and
adored her. He consecrated the nations to her. He endorsed and reveled
in her demonic apparitions. He credited her with saving his life.
There is so much which could be said about Pope John
Paul II, about his corrosive, damning influence and his pagan practices.
But why belabor the point? The truth has been apparent for all to see
for twenty-six years. And simply put, the pope was a pope. The nature of
popes is the nature of antichrist because they are antichrist just as
the Roman Catholic Church is the woman who rides the beast as described
in Revelation chapter 17. That the pope and his church are evil is an
understatement. The Word of God shows the pope to be an accursed man no
matter what good causes he may have championed.
The tragedy which is upon us is not the death of the
pope, although neither will we revel in the death nor damnation of
any man. The tragedy which is upon us and which the pope's death will
clearly emphasize once more is the dearth of integrity, discernment, and
courage among evangelical—or should I say neo-evangelical—leaders in
our nation. Remaining silent at this time, as reprehensible as that is,
would be a vast improvement to the message many such leaders will feel
the need to proclaim. The world's impression that Pope John Paul II was
a true Christian man leading the true Christian Church, teaching the
true Christian gospel will be strongly reinforced by the accolades
heaped upon the pope by evangelical leaders. At the same time, the great
milling mixture of sheep and goats which fill up the evangelical
churches in our land will be further compromised and confused. The death
of Pope John Paul II is a defining moment which will reveal the hearts
of many who present themselves as born-again, blood-washed followers of
Jesus Christ but by their words will reveal that they are either not His
or that they should not publicly represent Him.
Reams of paper could be expended documenting the
heresy of Pope John Paul II and citing the Scripture verses proving that
such a man is not a Christian, not a servant of God, and will not
be a citizen of heaven. But in reality, Galatians chapter one,
verses eight and nine should settle that matter:
"But though we, or an
angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we
have preached unto you, let him be accursed. As we said before, so say I
now again, if any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have
received, let him be accursed."
Pastor Ralph Ovadal
Pilgrims Covenant Church
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