{"id":421,"date":"2013-03-24T17:42:24","date_gmt":"2013-03-24T17:42:24","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/ntmu.net\/?p=421"},"modified":"2013-05-17T14:49:31","modified_gmt":"2013-05-17T14:49:31","slug":"so-whos-getting-cozy-with-rome","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ntmu.net\/?p=421","title":{"rendered":"So Who’s Getting Cozy with Rome?"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"cozy\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Not the impartial student of Roman Catholic history. He encounters too many rivers of blood, that is, the blood of the untold millions, who were supposedly unworthy to live because of some perceived heresy.<\/p>\n

Not the millions, who were in with Rome, but then, when they found the living Christ in the living Word of God, had no choice but to follow him and turn their backs on mere forms and traditions. The \u201cold wineskins\u201d had been good enough for the \u201cold wine\u201d, but how to pour their \u201cnew wine\u201d into anything but \u201cnew wineskins\u201d?!<\/p>\n

Not the Christian, who lives in a traditionally Roman Catholic culture, like that of Italy, Spain, Portugal, Ireland, Latin America, etc. He has seen too much of the frightful idolatry still in full swing, and in total disregard of the plain Word of God. In some Catholic countries, like in parts of Mexico, he may still be fair game for the heretic bashers.<\/p>\n

Not the serious student of the Bible, who finds that in his reading and meditation of the Word he is having direct and intimate communion with his Lord, without the slightest need of any mediator but Christ (1 Tim. 2:5-6), whether that purported mediator is a priest-confessor, a saint, a \u201cHoly Father\u201d (over in Rome), or even Mary.<\/p>\n

Not the prayerful Christian worker who could do with help in the great need around him. He remembers how Nehemiah steadfastly refused to have an \u201cecumenical\u201d meeting with Tobias, Sanballat and company, even when these seemed so concerned about Nehemiah\u2019s work in chapter 6, repeatedly inviting him to come over. Nehemiah saw through it all and said NO! Above all, 2 Cor. 6:14-18 convinces him that you cannot work together if you have nothing \u201cin common\u201d with the prospective \u201cyoke fellows\u201d, if there is no \u201cpartnership\u201d, no \u201charmony\u201d, no \u201cparticipation\u201d and no \u201ccompact\u201d (Weymouth). So he rather forgoes the \u201cunequal yoke\u201d, so tantalizing perhaps, but also so clearly warned against and forbidden.<\/p>\n

Not the Christian who has some insight into Bible prophecy. He realizes that Revelation 17 and 18 describe the last stages of Rome as a system, that is, the great harlot, drunk with the blood of saints and martyrs, seated on \u201cseven hills\u201d, a precise topographical description of the city of Rome. He\u2019s heard the last call from Heaven to \u201cget out\u201d (18:4) and could never translate that into \u201ccozying up\u201d.<\/p>\n

Not the \u2018burning heart\u2019 Christian, who would seek to lead his RC loved ones to the living Christ. It is crystal clear to him that \u2018cozying up\u2019 to Rome might for ever sink his chances to help them find the Way. He remembers chapters like Matthew 23 in which the One who is all love didn\u2019t mince his words in relation to the \u201csystem\u201d of the day. That true \u201cPhysician\u201d never put mere \u201cointment\u201d on the \u201culcers\u201d of his \u201cpatients\u201d, when what they needed was radical, invasive \u201csurgery\u201d.<\/p>\n

So who IS cozying up to Rome??<\/strong><\/p>\n

If you have heard of ECT – \u201cEvangelicals and Catholics Together\u201d, then you\u2019ll know that that\u2019s where the action is. Whether that is \u201cguided\u201d or \u201cmisguided\u201d action, some great names stand out. You will recognize names like Colson, Bright and Packer. One prominent trend setter, of course, and for many years now, has been Billy Graham. These are men whom God has used, and we have no reason to suspect that God will not use them in the future, but do we have to walk in their footsteps? Not if we are like those Berean Jews, who didn\u2019t take Paul\u2019s word for it. They did some thorough research first: \u201cThey searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so\u201d – Acts 17:11. In other words they gave him a fair hearing, but weren\u2019t inclined to follow his lead as long as they didn\u2019t see it in the Scriptures.<\/p>\n

A name, even better known than the present ECT ones, who, among many others in his day, had something to say on the subject, was Hudson Taylor. He was mightily used by God to open up China to the Gospel in the 19th century.<\/p>\n

If you know anything at all about Hudson Taylor, then you know that he loved \u201cthe heathen\u201d, as they used to be termed at that time. Did that mean that he cozied up to the heathen systems? No, it meant he took the Gospel to the heathen and was ready to lay down his life for them. He hated the heathen systems, but he loved the heathen. As you will see, he compares the \u201cheathen\u201d to the \u201cRoman Catholics\u201d. Did he hate Roman Catholics? He hated the RC system, but he loved those entrapped in it. That is the only truly Christian attitude… Following well-meaning leaders down any other road will land us in the same Babylonian morass that they are heading for.<\/p>\n

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\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 June 13, 1905, in the Conference Hall in London, Dr. Harry Guinness recalled how, when he was in Switzerland with Mr. Hudson Taylor, the veteran missionary was constantly praying for South America. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cSome years ago,\u201d said Hudson Taylor, \u201cit was brought home to my heart and conscience that there was danger of my getting into a narrow rut. China is 2000 miles broad and 2000 miles long, and yet I found I was getting into a narrow rut. My love was getting too much confined to it, as were my sympathies and prayers. I made it a rule, as far as possible, not to pray for China at all until I had prayed for a good many other places, for I knew that if I began at the wrong end I did not get far on. I now begin by praying for South America. It is a most needy part of the world, and wants your prayers as well as mine. <\/i> The workers there have great difficulties to contend with, and of the same sort as we have in China from Roman Catholicism – the most God-dishonoring system in the world. The heathen need your prayers, but the Roman Catholic needs your prayers ten times more. He is ten times as much in the dark as the heathen themselves are.\u201d<\/i> <\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n

Emphasis in quote from original in: \u201cOUR FLAG AND FIELD\u201d (1905), first predecessor to \u201cPRESSING ON!\u201d<\/p>\n

Editorial suggestion: If you don\u2019t already have Dave Hunt\u2019s book (and\/or video): \u201cA Woman Rides the Beast\u201d (The Berean Call), get it!! It will be one of your best investments ever! Hair raising book? Maybe. Above all, you\u2019ll find it prayer raising! This is your link: The Berean Call.<\/p>\n

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