Beware of the pope and popish doctrine! Phil. 3:2 warns us to "Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of the mutilation!" This is an appropriate description and warning of the pope and popish doctrines. There is a corruption and corrosion of Biblical conviction and theology in the Evangelical church as evidenced by a ready acceptance and celebration of pope, priest, and the false Gospel of Roman Catholicism. Rick Warren, Luis Palau, and so many like them have crafted a peace with the pope and His false Gospel that cuts the heart out of the true Gospel and blasphemes the finished work of Christ on the cross. Rick Warren tweeted to the world, "Welcome Pope Francis, Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio, Habemus Papam, You have our prayers." In a Christianity Today article Warren described Roman Catholic sacramental system of salvation as mere "doctrinal distinctives" and went on to assert "the fact is, we do serve the same Lord." Luis Palau has repeatedly stated that the pope is his personal friend and that "He's really centered on Jesus and the Gospel, the pure Gospel" (Christianity Today, 3/14/13). Charles Spurgeon rebukes Warren, Palau, and all like them; "False gods, attempts to represent the true God, and indeed, all material things which are worshipped, are so much filth upon the face of the earth, whether they be crosses, crucifixes, virgins, wafers, relics, or even the Pope himself. We are by far too mealy mouthed about these infamous abominations: God abhors them, and so should we. To renounce the glory of spiritual worship for outward pomp and show is the height of folly, and deserves to be treated as such." (The Treasury of David, Psalm 106:20) |
