With modernism running rampant through Protestant bodies, and true faith in God largely discarded, there will soon be nothing left to stand for. If religion is without God and without Christ (save in name), everything vital is gone. But for many people, any religion will do. Cain had his religion, although his religious works were "evil" (1 John 3:12). The pagans had lots of religion; millions did obeisance to it, and died in their sins.
Christendom is running down a steep place to destruction, as did the demon-possessed swine (Mark 5:13). But "God is not mocked" (Gal. 6:7). Christendom is giving up the love of the truth, that they might be saved, and God in His righteous government is going to allow Satan to deceive them with a lie. "For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only He who now letteth [hindereth] will let [hinder] until He be taken out of the way. And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of His mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of His coming: even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, and with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: that they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness." 2 Thess. 2:7-12.
The warm embrace and the kiss of love between Pope Paul and Orthodox Patriarch Athenagoras may seem to many a prelude to a new and greater day for Christendom, but we believe it is a forerunner of the great apostasy. Christendom will in the end be a great caldron. At present, according to God's sure word, it is a "great house" with vessels to dishonor mixed together with vessels for God's glory.
The call of God is now distinct and sounds like a clarion. "If a man therefore separate himself from these [the vessels to dishonor] ['in separating himself from them' (J.N.D. Trans.) ] he shall be a vessel unto honor, sanctified and meet for the master's use." God calls every true child of His to walk in absolute separation from the abounding of evil. No excuse such as, "I can do more good there," will be a satisfactory reply to the One who has called us to separation. (Read 2 Tim. 2.) And as the great mixture of Babylon the Great is about to appear on the horizon, He calls, "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.
There is at work within the Roman Church an effort to make their laity conscious of a desire for return of Protestants and other groups to the Roman enclosure. This was exhibited in recent years, and again this year in January, when the parishioners were called upon to pray for such union. The plea went out under the name of the "Chair of Unity Octave," dated January 12, 1964. It was prefaced by reference to Pope John's example and Pope Paul's encouragement. For eight days Catholics were to join in prayer for
"The union of all Christians in the one true faith and in the Church.
"The return of separated Eastern Christians to Communion with the Holy See.
"The reconciliation of Anglicans with the Holy See. "The reconciliation of European Protestants with the Holy See.
"That American Christians become one in union with the chair of Peter.
"The restoration of lapsed Catholics to the sacramental life of the Church.
"That the Jewish people come into their inheritance in Jesus Christ.
"The missionary extension of Christ's kingdom throughout the world."
Many Protestants laud these steps as a good omen and can agree with Patriarch Athenagoras that "The ice has been broken," and, "Soon a new era will begin in the history of
Christendom."—Time, Jan. 10, 1964. Dr. Eugene Carson Blake, the head man of the lately formed United Presbyterian Church, and a leader in the National Council of Churches, said after Pope Paul announced his pilgrimage: "This is an illustration of changes both great and small within the Roman Catholic Church."—U.S. News & World Report, Dec. 16, 1963.
It will be noted from the call to prayer of the Chair of Unity Octave that these calls for prayers are for return to the one Church, the one true faith, the See of Peter, the Holy See, etc. This also shows Rome's specific primary interest in the Eastern Orthodox bodies which are more closely akin to Rome. The Church of England also rates high in their interest. The high church of that body is not far removed from Rome's ways. Also the Protestant groups in Europe are more ecumenical-minded than Protestants in other parts of the world. There has been increasing rapport between the contestants in that area, amounting to a big step toward Protestant return to Rome.
The Lord Jesus said to some in the day when He was on earth, "How is it that ye do not discern this time?" (Luke 12:56). How does it happen that with luke-warmness being the general state of Christians, and the great profession being marked by only "a form of godliness," while its power is denied and rejected, and while infidelity, atheism, and materialism stalk the land, how is it that so many Christians are blind to the imminence of the end of this age? Any day the Lord may call true believers home, and then unprepared, unsaved profession will rush headlong into the grand climax of Babylon the Great. That will be followed by the overthrow of even the semblance of Christianity; and then the basest forms of idolatry will take over.
When the Lord was here, the unclean spirit of idolatry had gone out of Israel (Matt. 12:43); they were not then idolaters. Later Paganism was outwardly cleansed of open idolatry (Luke 11:24). But in the end of this age the unclean spirit of idolatry will return, and the latter end will be worse than the former in both apostate Israel (Matt. 12:45) and apostate Christendom (Luke 11:26). These evils are on the way, and are already casting long shadows across the landscape.
One of the prayers which Catholics were called on to make during the month of January connected with the Chair of Unity Octave was that the Jewish people might come into their inheritance in Jesus Christ. Of late there has been considerable preoccupation with the Jewish people by the Catholics. The effort is under the direction of Augustin Cardinal Bea, who also heads the efforts for the return of "separated brethren" to the Roman Fold. One of the "schemata" of Vatican Council II was to pave the way for better relations with Jews. This is one of the agenda topics which was not acted on. The Protestant National Council of Churches is also interested in such a movement and is using material prepared by Jewish organizations in some council church material. It is claimed that some religious activities and sayings concerning the crucifixion of the Lord Jesus promote, if not create, anti-semitism. At this point we aver that teaching the truth as it is found in the Scriptures will not produce any anti-semitism, but the very reverse of it.
Perhaps the growing trend for religious fraternity can be best expressed by an excerpt from the Los Angeles B'nai B'rith Messenger, March 20, 1964, titled, "Stronger Interfaith Action Is The Trend": "An enormous new shift in inter-religious relationships is under way across the United States, according to Rabbi Balfour Brickner, director of the Commission on Interfaith Activities of the Union of American Hebrew Congregations." Further down he said, "Pope John XXIII 'opened many symbolic windows-and doors-and this brought in the Catholic Church, which until then felt it had to stay outside inter-religious relationships.' " This, he said, "has galvanized Catholics, Protestants and Jews to meet together."
Some remarks in the Chicago Maroon from the University of Chicago, under date of February 14, 1964, add a little more to the sweeping trends. Dr. Howard Schomer, President of the Chicago Theological Seminary, said that "As a result of the recent series of conversations between the Roman Catholic and Protestant churches, Christianity is entering into one of the greatest chapters in the whole of church history." The religious doctor who thus appraised the present situation is a man who should be able to form an opinion of what he sees. He was a Delegate-Observer at the last session of the Vatican Council. He also participated in three sessions of the Protestant World Council of Churches. To human observation, Christendom is on the verge of something great, and so it will be proclaimed when it is realized. But God's word in Revelation 17 and 18 gives its fallen, debased, and corrupt character before Him who does not judge as man does. After the true believers have been taken from this world to be with Christ, the great ecumenical body will boast of its greatness, grandeur, wealth, and power, only to be spewed out of Christ's mouth as something most hateful and noxious to Him.
Fellow believers, let us read the Word of God diligently and so keep a clear perspective of what Christendom is before God and where it is going in the end. Beware of being caught by the "smooth words and fair speeches" of the great crop of false prophets abroad in the world. We may be like the prophet of old of whom the king said, "I hate him for he always prophesies evil of me." May we by faith be able to sing with the poet:
"Should we to gain the world's applause,
Or to escape its harmless frown,
Refuse to countenance Thy cause,
And make Thy people's lot our own,
What shame would fill us in that day,
When Thou Thy glory wilt display.
"No, let the world cast out our name,
And vile account us if it will;
If to confess our Lord be shame,
Oh, then would we be viler still;
For Thee, O Lord, we all resign,
Content that Thou dost call us Thine."
Pope John XXIII took an unusual step before he died, and ordered two words stricken from Catholic remarks about Jews; the two words were "perfidious Jews." It is hard to see what those words added or detracted from the message in Catholic churches, but they were a source of constant irritation to the Jews. These two groups, slowly to be sure, are moving closer to rapprochement. Liberal Protestantism is also moving in the same direction. Many Protestant publications are eloquently advocating better common understanding between them and the Jews, and some of the challenges we have seen link Christian and Jewish celebrations together would in our judgment be rejected by many Jews; for instance, the six-pointed "Star of David" is not to be compared with the cross, nor are Thanksgiving day and the Jewish feast of Succoth the same.
Many of the charges against Christians and true Christianity are unwisely made. To refer to Jews as "killers of God" is foreign to any scriptural expression or thought. To cite the travesty of Christ's death in the Passion Play of Oberammergau as a picture of true Christianity is untrue and unfaithful to the faithful Word. No warrant for such parody is found within the covers of divine inspiration. Much that passes for Christianity is but an imposture.
A proposal by a Rabbi, under the title line of "A NEW LOOK AT JESUS," in the March issue of Eternity Magazine, may indicate Reformed Judaism's willingness to examine Jesus as a Jew and a teacher; but the same old intractable rejection of Him who came according to their own prophet as "meek and lowly" and "riding on an ass," is as unequivocally true today as before. It may be correct, as the Rabbi says, "Reform Judaism has broadened its relations with organized Christianity." But he also says: "Needless to say, Jews never can and never will accept Jesus as the Messiah or as the Son of God." That this is a true account of a major portion of Judaism today can scarcely be denied, but their own prophets have plainly foretold that they will yet do this very thing. Zechariah describes the soul-searching that the Jews will pass through with great sorrow of heart and true repentance when Jesus does return for their deliverance. They are still "beloved for the fathers' sakes"; and a remnant of them will be brought to own their guilt and say in truth, "Lo, this is our God; we have waited for Him, and He will save us: this is the LORD [Jehovah]; we have waited for Him, we will be glad and rejoice in His salvation." Isa. 25:9. But for the present, "blindness in part [not in whole] is happened to Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles be come in." Rom. 11:25.
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