Will You Be Found Faithful?: Chapter Eleven

Unfaithful Oneness Versus Faithful Holiness

You may say I’m a dreamer, but I’m not the only one. I hope someday you’ll join us, and the world will live as one. –“Imagine” by John Lennon [1]

At the time of the writing of this book, Pope Francis has met with Jewish, Orthodox, Muslim, and Protestant leaders from around the world. He has also met with evangelicals such as Kenneth Copeland, Joel Osteen, James Robison, and John Arnott. They’re doing this in the name of unity, hoping to open up a dialogue and build bridges to peace in an attempt to fulfill Jesus’s prayer for oneness:

That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us; that the world may believe that thou hast sent me. And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me. (John 17:21-23, KJV; italics added)

It sounds like a beautiful effort on the part of Pope Francis, but Christians must be very discerning because there’s a difference between oneness that’s achieved through a unity in diversity and oneness that’s achieved through holiness.

Holiness comes from the root word whole, which means undivided. It’s number 53 in the Greek concordance: hagnos. It means “pure (to the core), virginal (chaste, unadulterated), pure inside and out, holy because it is uncontaminated (undefiled from sin, without spoilation even within, even down to the center of one’s being), and not mixed with guilt or anything condemnable.” [2]

The Father, Son, and Spirit are all holy. They are one in truth and purpose. Jesus said the first commandment was to “love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.” (Matt. 22:37, KJV; italics added) He wants us to be wholly devoted to him.

In the same chapter of John, Jesus prayed that his church wouldn’t be of the world. Instead, he wants us to be sanctified by the truth. And what is that truth? Jesus said, “Thy Word is truth.” (John 17:17; KJV) To be sanctified means “to make holy; set apart as sacred; consecrate.” [3]  The church needs to be unified by the Word of God and set apart from all other contaminating influences. We can’t join with those who reject or corrupt the Word of God.

The oneness that Pope Francis is trying to develop is a unity in diversity. It’s a mixture of many religions that disagree on doctrine or truth. Pope Francis says Allah and Yahweh are the same god, but God says his name is Yahweh.

That men may know that thou, whose name alone is Jehovah [another form of the name Yahweh] art the most high over all the earth. (Ps. 83:18, KJV; italics)

The sacred writings of Judaism, Islam, and Christianity aren’t the same! This blending or merging of different beliefs is unholy. It leads to a corruption of the faith. This is why the willingness of the pope to be joined with other religions is adulterous.

In fact, I would even argue that the pope is creating the great harlot described in Revelation 17-18, a false church that doesn’t remain faithful. Instead, she has many other lovers and is described as a harlot, a fornicator, an abomination, and Babylon the Great.

And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet colour, and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication: And upon her forehead was a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH. (Rev. 17:4-5, KJV)

This woman is an unholy church. She isn’t a virgin bride wearing white that’s without spot or wrinkle (Eph. 5:27). Instead, she’s wearing the clothing of a prostitute. She encourages fornication. (Isn’t that what Catholic mysticism is?) She’s rich from her prostitution. She’s an abomination to God.

Since the scriptures prophesy that this harlot church will form and give her support to the Antichrist, perhaps it will be impossible to hinder it from developing. Those adulterous groups mentioned in the previous chapter will give their support to Pope Francis and his vision of coexistence between all the false religions of the world, but that doesn’t mean that the Lord won’t try to call his people out. In fact, this is what the scriptures say he will do.

And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues. (Rev. 18:4, KJV)

The Lord would not have us join with anything that is unclean. He said to come out from among them and be separate and touch not the unclean thing.

Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you. And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty. (2 Cor. 6:17-18, KJV; italics added)

God desires our complete devotion. He can’t bear for us to have other lovers. When we yoke ourselves with those who worship other gods, we are unfaithful to God, and we break his heart. The outcome of the unholy union being promoted by Pope Francis will be evil. It will bring shame to the name of God and hurt other people, just as in the past when God’s people have betrayed him.

[1] John Lennon. “Imagine.” On the album Imagine. (New York and Ascot, England: Record Plant East and Ascot Sound Studios, 1971).

[2] Holy. HELPS Word Studies–Biblos–Def G53–Helps Ministries, Inc.–http://strongsnumbers.com/greek/53.htm. Accessed 16 Feb, 2015, http://biblehub.com/greek/53.htm.

[3] Sanctify. Dictionary.com Unabridged. Random House, Inc. http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/sanctify . Accessed 16 Feb, 2015.