An Open Letter To Brother Eddie Villanueva

Dear Brother Eddie,

I hope and pray that this letter reaches you and take to heart the sentiments every true born-again believer of Christ wants to convey to you in light of the interview you had with an English daily in relation to the visit of Pope Francis. I write as a brother in Christ, not as a critic wanting to put you on edge for your theology gone wayward, but as a fellow Christian trying to remind you that encouraging your flock to celebrate the pope's visit citing it as not only a Catholic event, is wrong in every way as per biblical principle.

Without a doubt and I have always said this that I am one of those millions who have been blessed by your ministry and that the Lord has evidently touched and changed so many lives through your ministry. With that being said, I am also one of those many people who were completely astounded when in the interview you proudly announced that  JIL members are free to celebrate the visit of the pope and join in the celebration. Though I can understand you only wanted to emphasize that your flocks are not being subjected to restrictions and that they enjoy 'freedom of worship' under your leadership, it is however uncalled for and bordering on leading the flock astray from the truth by encouraging them to indirectly partake of the sins of idolatry and false worship.

I can also perfectly understand that you mean no harm with your intents, and that your heart only desires for what is noble, good and honorable. The pope's message of mercy and compassion is easily identifiable with us Christians because this very same thing is the very heartbeat of God. I do believe that you genuinely do care about people and want them to find wholeness in the Lord and ultimately want to bring them to the knowledge of truth. But have you forgotten that the truth may not always be popular but it shall always remain the truth?  Jesus is the only truth, and you do not find the truth in the midst of idol worship!

You said that "others who value genuine world peace, freedom of worship and interfaith dialogue should also welcome this historic event". I appreciate the fact that you clamor for "genuine world peace" just like everybody else; and who does not? The world is saddled with wars, rumors of wars - and given the advent of ISIS, Boko Haram, and the perpetual religious and cultural wars within societies, are these not too much to bear for any peace-loving individual? So I can understand where's that sentiment coming from.  But if you read your Bible when you get time, the Lord Jesus Christ comforts His disciples that He leaves them  peace, not as the world gives (John 14:27). And these words came from the "prince of peace" himself. Did I just lose my faith in 'world peace' for saying this? Not at all! Anything is possible with God. But as true born-again believers of Christ, living in the last days I believe, and awaiting that Blessed Hope, there is an assurance that in Him we find the peace that surpasses all understanding (Philippians 4: 7).

Your sudden association with the Catholic faith saddens me terribly  because I am purely concerned of your flock, who once in their lifetimes were held under the bondage of religiosity and idolatry in the Catholic faith. Whether we admit it or not, many from among your flock have answered your call to celebrate with the pope because as their leader, they believe it is their Christian duty to participate in the cause that you believe in, which is the very same message of hope, unity, and world peace that the pope espouses. 

If in case you have no idea until now whom you are associating with, allow me to cite in details why Pope Francis is probably the most well-loved figure on the planet which rightfully earned him the moniker, "the people's pope":

His stand on Atheism

Pope Francis makes no secret of his agenda of inclusiveness, openness, and welcoming other religions and atheists alike into the Catholic fold. While it sounded noble and honorable, he dared tread the path where no other man has gone before: announcing to the world that even atheists can still go to heaven as long as they do good deeds and they follow their conscience. He would emphasize that believing in God is no longer a prerequisite to enter heaven. So, whatever happened to John 14: 6, Ephesians 2: 8-9, John 3: 16-18, among others?

On Homosexuality

Jesus commanded us to "love your neighbor as yourself". And that's basically a command to love every human being, that's why God sent Jesus to die for the sins of the world - and that's including me, yourself and everyone else. We ought to love others, so much so that we have been called to warn others of the wrath of God if we do not turn away from our sins. But the pope in his effort to welcome everyone to the Catholic church, refuses to condemn the sins of homosexuality by pontificating that "as long as they have goodwill and are seeking God, who am I to judge?"

On Islam

In a series of shocking developments from the Vatican since Pope Francis ascended to the papacy, the one that really made a mark is his recent invitation for an inter-faith dialogue wherein for the first time in the history of Catholicism, an Islamic prayer and Quranic verses reverberated inside the halls of the Vatican. An unedited prayer by the imam calls to their god Allah "to give them victory over the infidels" - and that presumably includes me, yourself and all others not belonging to the Islamic faith. 

The pope further stressed that it is wrong to equate violence with Islam. But their book tells of an entirely different story where Muslims are commanded not to make friends with Jews and Christians (Surah 5:51), to instill terror in the hearts of the infidels and to strike their neck down to their fingertips (Surah 8:12, in case we wonder why there's so much beheading), and slay the infidels wherever they may be found (Surah 9:5). So can we blame the ISIS for slaughtering thousands of Christians and the minority Yazidis in Syria and Iraq? The Boko Haram for butchering three thousand Christians in Nigeria a fortnight ago? And yet the pope condemns those who condemn violence and terror committed in the name of Islam!

On inter-faith dialogue as a way forward

We know and you know, this  leads to Ecumenism that would usher to the one-world religion spoken of by the prophet Daniel and greatly detailed in the Book of Revelation. Harmless and noble as it may seem to appear, we should not forget that the Lord Jesus Christ himself had warned his disciples of the impending trouble that we are about to suffer because of Him. Nowadays, political correctness is being used as leverage for every other religion but Christianity. The atheists and the Islamists always get offended by almost anything Christians do: be it prayer in school, students praying before meals in a public school canteen, and even a small cross planted on a front yard of a private home. Anything with a mention of Jesus and God is offensive to them. Christians are habitually taken to court  because of their faith, and most often than not the accusers come away smiling. 

But are we not supposed to be glad that we Christians partake in the sufferings of Christ just as Paul and Silas rejoiced after they were beaten and jailed? No matter how hard we squeeze ourselves into a gathering of inter-faith leaders to 'achieve peace', the truth that the world will still hate our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ remains. Jesus said, "you will be hated by everyone because of me" (Matthew 10:22). And, "if the world hated you it's because it hated me first" (John 15:8). Some people would willingly die to defend their religion, or their idols or prophets, but Jesus our Lord and Savior was the one who died for us.

In view of the above, let me remind you lest you forget;

That there is only one mediator between God and man, the Man Christ Jesus. That Jesus is the way, the truth and the life, and no one comes to the Father but by Him. But the pope, the leader of the largest idolatrous religion in the world whom you are all praises for, never said of these things about Jesus - and instead he encourages all his flocks to worship and pray to Mary so that she in turn would intercede for them - and they call her as the queen of heavens. Is this not a blasphemy of the highest order against our sovereign God? God hates idol worship and He punishes them that worship idols up to the fourth generation; lest you forget.

That all these talks of achieving "genuine world peace" and "so-called unity" is a waste of time without Christ at the center of it. Peace without Jesus is false peace and unity without Jesus is false unity. If there's one person who knows it better, it is you Brother Eddie. All these so-called peace and unity efforts can deliver is but temporary peace - and the one that can give it is the anti-Christ; lest you forget.

That the pope's "message of hope" which you yourself affirmed is not what our hopeless generation needs; anyone can proclaim the same message even those who do not necessarily believe in Jesus. But what people do need to hear is the gospel of peace that only Jesus gives: it is how people can be saved from their sins and obtain forgiveness -  and that is by repentance and believing in Jesus as the Son of God - this is the message - and not by celebrating the sins of idolatry and encouraging your flock to celebrate with them; lest you forget. 

That if your belt of truth is not properly buckled up then there goes your breastplate of righteousness. That no matter how people strive their hardest to attain their desired purpose with all their purest intents if it is not founded in the truth of Jesus but of deception, there can only be an expected end. Without God's truth, all of man's effort for peace and unity are bound to crumble because they are not planted on a solid foundation. For when there is no truth, there is no righteousness; lest you forget.

Brother Eddie, I have no doubt in my mind that you are an anointed man of God who loves the Lord Jesus Christ as much as you love His truth. Your passion for the lost is beyond question as much as your desire to obey God. However, your declaration that "the pope's visit will serve as a breakthrough to effect unity among different religions" is beyond me. How "two can walk together except they be agreed"? (Amos 3:3) In Paul's letter to the Corinthians he admonished them "not to be unequally yoked together with unbelievers; for what fellowship has righteousness with unrighteousness, and what communion has light with darkness."? (2 Corinthians 6:14) Just to make it clear; lest you forget.

As for your son Joel, himself a man of God just like you, it is inconceivable that he would seek blessings from the pope and ask for his prayers for the nation. He would even call Pope Francis, "the pope of hope". What has happened to our Blessed Hope, and the song of David when he "looked for the Lord for his hope is in Him" (Psalms 39:7)?  Maybe that needs revision? Or you both figure it out. I just hope that the pope would oblige and intercede for our nation (to Mary perhaps?) just as what your son Joel sought from him.   I pray that your son Joel does not believe in his heart that the pope is indeed the "Vicar of Christ on Earth" lest he deprives the Holy Spirit of His job. And by essentially believing that the pope can come more boldly to the throne of grace more than he could, then I think there must be something terribly wrong with the doctrine that your son was brought up into.

Brother Eddie, God has given you unarguably one of the largest platforms for the gospel in Philippine history and beyond. Can you say before Him that you have proclaimed His uncompromising truth, cared for His flock and protected them from the devourer? Have you ever studied extensively the prophetic words of Jesus in the gospel, learning it, feeding on it and sharing it with your flock so that they get properly nurtured? Have you ever worked your way through the epistles of Paul? If not, why not?

Have you ever wondered about how your association with Catholicism plays out among true born-again believers of the Lord Jesus Christ, some of them members of your own flock who have once endured the curse of idolatry and religiosity but have found freedom in Jesus? Have you ever thought about what your message of encouragement to have fellowship with darkness sounds like to those who have found light in Jesus? Have you ever figured out what spiritual adultery can bring about to the bride of Christ? And if that 'monumental speech' you did at a Quiboloy event is anything to go by, all of  Filipino Christian community be better ready to kneel down before God for you.

When a person is called by God to shepherd His flock and ceases to lead them in good pasture and still waters, he cannot be a good shepherd anymore. But I believe, your heart and soul constantly seek for what is good for the flock. Jesus has showed us the example of a good shepherd: one who's willing to lay down his life for the flock. This is good shepherding 101, as basic as it gets, yet you encouraged your flock to join in agreement with the pope who only brings idol worship and false hope to a deceived nation. As Christians we are called to win them to Jesus and not us getting into agreement with them.

Bro. Eddie, I know that these words have been strong, yet they are written in love and concern. And since I have no direct access to you and do not know in any way how to reach you, after prayer and reflection, I felt that this was the best way to go, addressing  public statements publicly, by blog, with a fervent hope that this message reaches you. Without a doubt, there are many lives you have touched; by not clinging to the basic truth you have also offended more than you realize; lest you forget. I pray that you will take this to heart. Praying for you.

From a fellow Christian,


Nelson of The Discerning Sheep Ministry