Those Familiar Wolves At The Harlot's Table

Pope Francis' recent visit to the US was by no means just another state visit of a head of state from another country. It was regarded as a milestone event being the pontiff's official first visit to the US. Many pundits from both the secular media and religious groups have been abuzz with their synonymous take that the pope's visit would usher the fulfillment of biblical prophecies.

As to which biblical prophecies have been fulfilled that remains debatable, but one thing is clear and beyond argument, and after all dust has settled, God has revealed those who consistently prostitute his truth in the name of false love, false peace, and false unity. And there you have it, people won't be reeling from shock as everyone's usual suspects spontaneously come out united in revealing who they really are: wolves in sheep's clothing.

If there was anything "true and sincere" (albeit a great abomination to God) that the world has witnessed, it was the multitude's show of devotion and adoration to the pope that had the sovereign God of heavens seemingly shoved off His throne. 

Don't get me wrong, as Christians we should love the pope as someone whom Jesus died for and whose soul needs salvation. He needs to repent of his sins and acknowledge the saving grace of the Lord Jesus Christ through the redemptive power of His blood. We also need to pray for every Catholic who puts their faith in the Catholic church for their salvation. But we cannot be one with them  and approving of and thereby sharing their sins.

Wait a minute, we almost feel this topic about the pope as being recurringly redundant. And along comes the burning question, why can't some Christians seemingly don't get it when all the pope desires, is for all the world to come together in unity amid all the troubles of this world? Why the fierce criticism when all T.D. Jakes, Rick Warren, and Joel Osteen yearn for is to giggle at the presence of the pope and express their admiration for him for his being so cool and humble?

Here it goes: The Scripture in itself is the word of God, its nature infallible and immutable, it is the final authority and the moral compass which all humankind is called to live by. The Scripture reveals to man God's grand design of redemption from sin through His son Jesus Christ who took the form of a man, was sinless, and gave His life as a ransom for all our sins.The Scripture also speaks of Jesus as being the only Way, the Truth, and the Life, so that no one comes to the Father but by Him. So in essence, Jesus has the sole authority to forgive sinners if they repent and turn their backs from sin and follow Him. All other religious figures in history such as Mohammed, Buddha, and many others have all died and will never return again while Jesus has spoken of his return to judge the living and the dead. Basic kindergarten lesson we have here.

So what has the pope anything to do with this? As a matter of tradition, the pope so believes that Jesus died on the cross, unlike the Muslims who believe in their Quran that says Jesus did not die but that their god Allah deceived the Jews into believing such lie. Quran 3:54 even corroborates that their god Allah is the greatest deceiver of all. There you have it! In principle, the contradiction in belief is poles apart, yet the pope allows Quranic prayer be recited in the Vatican and he himself even offered prayer inside a mosque in Turkey.

Here are some of the obvious reasons why true born-again believers should not associate themselves with almost about anything the pope promotes:

The Catholic church endorses Marian worship and countless other idols

The Catholic church for centuries has been unequivocal in affirming the deity of Mary in its doctrines and bestowed her a litany of titles such as "the queen of heavens", "mother of God",  "the mediatrix", etc. Obviously, nowhere in Scripture has Mary been crowned as queen of heavens as though there existed a vacant throne that needed occupancy. Catholic dogma even claims that Mary was taken up to heaven both her soul and body on the third day after her death.

In fairness to Mary, when she was called blessed among women she exclaimed, "my spirit rejoiced in God my Saviour" (Luke 1:47). She herself acknowledged that she needed a saviour because she was no god. Well, Catholics have the propensity to analogize that if Jesus is God so are his mother and Father. And no chance on earth they'd lose this argument. I vividly recall my sister-in-law who strongly brushed off biblical truth saying, "I was born a Catholic and I will die a Catholic".

The Bible explicitly says that the God of the universe is a jealous God (Deuteronomy 6:14,15) who is not willing to give His glory to anyone and His praises to graven images (Isaiah 42:8). In essence, God hates the worship of idols that cannot see, speak, hear or feel and cannot even defend themselves. His disdain for idol worshippers is such that He calls them fools and shameless (Isaiah 44:9-20). And who would dare challenge a holy and righteous God? You share this truth lovingly and compassionately to a hardened Catholic if not you're shown the door in rage or get blocked on facebook.

As for Mary's mediatrix title, it doesn't get more blasphemous than that to claim Mary possesses a greater level of intercessory powers than any other saint because Jesus can in no way turn His back on the woman who gave Him life. You pray to Mary being the mother of God and narrate your petitions, the moment she brings your cause to her son no matter how unlikely your petitions will be granted by Jesus, His heart can only melt away at the sight of His mother in tears, and voila your petition is granted. This is why Catholics have a special fondness for their idol, the "Mother of Perpetual Help".

But what the Scripture has to say with respect to such belief is beyond confounding to those who refuse to open their eyes and refuse to read and be guided by the truth of Scripture. Does God really listen to the prayers of unrepentant and idolatrous people? And who is the true mediator who brings our petitions to God?

"If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me." ~ Psalm 66:18

"Now we know that God hears not sinners: but if any man be a worshipper of God, and does His will, him he hears." ~ John 9:31

"For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus." ~ 1 Timothy 2:5

"Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession. For we have not a high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin." ~ Hebrews 4: 14,15

The Pope believes Allah the god of Islam and Yahweh the God of the Bible are one

We've been hearing it a gazillion of times over, people would conveniently blurt out: "oh yeah, of course, I believe there is only one God and our only disagreement stems from how we address him by name."

Don't be deceived, the god of the Quran doesn't have a son, as opposed to Yahweh the Father who has a begotten Son named Jesus who took a human form, ministered to the sick and needy, offered His life, was buried and raised from the dead, and He will return to judge both the living and the dead. While the Quran explicitly narrates that Allah hid his prophet Issa from the Jews, deceived them into believing that he died (but never crucified), and Allah took him up to heaven.

Let us check the following verses:

"In fact. the law requires that nearly everything be cleansed with blood, and without the shedding of the blood there is no forgiveness." ~ Hebrews 9:22

"For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins." ~ Matthew 26:28

"In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins." ~ Colossians 1:14

Clearly, it is only the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ that can wash away mankind's sin and forgiveness can only be obtained through His blood, that's why Jesus died by crucifixion, was buried and was raised from the dead. But the Quran belies these facts by claiming that not one of these had ever happened. To them, the Bible is a lie and corrupt and the Quran is the real deal. Perhaps Pope Francis is so enamored with the Quran that he invited an Imam to recite a quranic prayer inside the Vatican. He even offered prayer (facing Makkah) alongside a mufti at a mosque in Turkey.

The Pope believes atheists can get to heaven

Previously, Pope Francis made a bold declaration that atheists can get to heaven if they do good, effectively invalidating the power of the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sins. Such brazen rebellion against the truth of God won him over adoring fans worldwide and media accolades despite his obvious disdain for the truth of God's word. Ephesians 2:8,9 says, "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast."  We could only assume that in all his years as a Catholic let alone his being a pontiff, he has not come across this verse yet. But we all know that is not the case.

This pope certainly has a way to draw controversies, and they are by no means negligible. His words and actions impact billions of souls and his influence limitless, after all he is the "vicar" of Christ on earth, and when he speaks it is as if God speaks through him. Yet it can't get as blasphemous as this saying, "Jesus failed on the cross". Scripture says before Jesus breathed His last on the cross, he uttered, "it is finished".  He had won the victory on the cross! Yet, wonder of wonders the pope believes otherwise! In his homily on his recent trip to America, Pope Francis said, "Jesus failed on the cross"!

The cross was a fundamental part of Jesus' life. It's why he was born and was a fulfillment of why he came. To call it a failure is about as high a blasphemy as could be spoken by a false prophet, striking at the very foundation of Christianity.

Since Pope Francis assumed the papacy there has never been a dearth in controversies appended to him. His initiatives to bring all religions together in the name of peace and  unity is about as good a fulfillment in the book of Revelation that speaks of a harlot who committed adultery with the inhabitants of the earth. But what mortal can resist his charm? Notwithstanding, God warns us to come out of her and be not partakers of her sin (Revelation 18:4).

Wolves in sheep's clothing share table with the harlot

It is no secret Joel Osteen is one of the biggest fans of the pope. When he profusely heaps praises on him, his face glows like all the hopes of this world is pinned on that one man. That if he can only convince skeptics to pay attention to the message of this man, then the world will be a better place. This same Joel Osteen who seldom mentions the name Jesus, if none at all in his sermons and in his books. He is the same Joel Osteen who fondly describes the pope as "very cool and humble" yet steers clear of mentioning Jesus as the perfect example of humility, being born in a manger, and "had no place to lay his head" during His earthly ministry. If anything, these pictures are perfect contradiction to "your best life now" that Joel Osteen endorses: a life filled with financial and material blessings, health and wealth bonanza, and even going to places you've never been.

Proof that Pope Francis has no shortage of fans even in the evangelical community is the no-nonsense endorsement of his agenda by well-known mega pastors such as Kenneth Copeland, T.D. Jakes, and Rick Warren, among others. Jakes and Warren were even among the VIPs and dignitaries who had a front-row seat at the White House papal reception. It is no surprise seeing Rick Warren joining in spiritual oneness with the pope whose agenda is in sync with the former's Chrislam advocacy. And what about T.D. Jakes? Well, he's got no problem with homosexuality in the church just as the pope wants  homosexuals and lesbians to fill the pews but refuses to rebuke them of their lifestyles. After all, "who am I to judge?"

The Kim Davis Fiasco

She would have been doing well, at least after she emerged from prison. She was touted by fellow Christians around the world as a champion of faith circa pre-tribulation. She stood her ground even to the point of going to prison, still she refused to issue same-sex marriage licenses as it violates her conscience and religious belief. Imagine a deluge of articles and Christians blogs dedicated to her exploits and heroism; multitudes of Christians got fired up to fight for their faith. Even some Republican presidentiables had their rating shot up for siding with her. In the end, good triumphed over evil.

Not until, the man of the hour Pope Francis set foot on American soil that a certain Kim Davis, a renowned champion of faith had her bout with starstruck syndrome induced by the presence of the man from Vatican. It was reported she had a private audience with the pope in Washington, she even asked an aide to the pope "if I could hug the holy father". Her request was granted and he hugged her back. He asked her to pray for him and she reciprocated the request. He thanked her for her courage and told her to "stay strong".  At the culmination of that private audience, the pope gave her and her husband rosaries which in turn she would later give to her parents. And here's the mother of ironies: prior to her meeting with the pope, the day before, two homosexuals who are partners for 19 years had a real audience with the pope; turns out one of them is a long- time friend of the pope back home in Argentina.

Kim Davis was in awe of the pope: in her own words she could not believe a man of great stature would want to see her. He thanked her for her courage, presumably the courage of standing her ground. Then we can only assume that the day before, he lovingly admonished his homosexual friend and his partner that their lifestyle is something God does not approve of, but as reports would have it, everyone came out from that rendezvous wearing a big smile.

And as for the rosaries as gift of the pope to her and her husband, it is not expected of her to win her parents back to Catholicism if her intentions were anything to go by. She should be evangelizing them for the Lord and not to encourage them to pray the rosary.

Deception as the preeminent sign of Jesus' return

In Matthew 24, when Jesus went out and departed from the temple, his disciples marveled at the buildings of the temple, but Jesus said there shall be no stone left upon another that shall not be thrown down. And His disciples asked what shall be the signs of His coming and the end of the world. And Jesus answered, "take heed that no man deceive you". The Gospel chapters of Matthew 24, Luke 21 and Mark 13 otherwise known as the Olivet Discourse where Jesus spoke of the signs of His return and the end of days contain repeated warnings of deception that shall abound. Jesus has put emphasis on many that shall be deceived, even the elect if possible.

Truth be told, today's Christians suffer from spiritual famine: the lack of discernment, lack of knowledge and indifference towards biblical truth in favor of the  doctrines of demons that constitute a surefire way to damnation. Christians are called to put on the full armour of God, with the belt of truth buckled around the waist and the breastplate of righteousness in place. But once your belt of truth is compromised and it falls, so is your righteousness.

The Laodicean Warning

The state of Christianity today can be likened to that of the church in Laodicea but God is faithful, those He loves He chastens, and calls them to repent so that they won't be caught off-guard when He comes like a thief.

"I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot: I would you were cold or hot. So then because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spew you out of my mouth. Because you say, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and know not that you are wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked: I counsel youn to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that you may be rich; and white raiment, that ou may be clothed, and that the shame of your nakedness do not appear; and anoint you eyes with eye salve, that you may see. As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent. Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and I will sup with him, and he with me. To him that overcomes will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne. He that has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit said to the churches." ~ Revelation 3: 15-22

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

Pope Francis' Visit To Idolatrous Philippines: Impetus for God's Wrath

The excitement alone by millions - plus the unprecedented hype - and include the panic the Catholic clergy in the Philippines have to endure to see to it that the visit of "Christ's official representative on earth" goes well as planned - are tell tale signs that the country is up for a herculean task of hosting arguably its most important guest in decades. The guest who will arrive on the 15th of January is by no means of lesser stature than any known individual past and present. If Obama is called by many as the most powerful man on the planet, Pope Francis on the other hand officially carries a variety of titles ranging from "the most holy father", "Christ's representative on earth", "the head of state of the Vatican" among others, and is being addressed as "his holiness".  

Worldwide media coverage will certainly bring the Philippines once more onto the world stage.  So basically we can see why all the hysteria left, right and center. It's like the  heavens will essentially come down to the Philippines - and heavenly stairways will be lowered down for all devout Catholics who could only wish the Pope stays forever.

A bit of trivia: The Philippines is home to over 80% Catholics and is widely considered to be the "only predominantly Christian nation in Asia" - at least according to what we read in our public school books. 

As for the title "the most holy father" the Pope officially carries, let's see if the Bible approves of such title - only for the sake of biblical truth:

"After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name." ~ Matthew 6:9

"And do not call anyone on earth 'father', for you have one Father, and he is in heaven." ~ Matthew 23: 9

"Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty, who was, and is, and is to come." ~ Revelation 4:8

From the Bible verses above, it is clear that only God is holy because God does not sin - and He tells us not to call anyone father on earth (well, i think with the exception of our biological father), because He is our 'only' Father which is in heaven.

The pope: a symbol of 'unity'

The oncoming 5-day papal visit to the Philippines is unprecedented in history - given the massive support and positive reactions even from other denominations and the gay community in general. His popularity among non-Catholics is such that he is being portrayed as a unifying figure to a fragmented world at large. And who would forget his popular "who am I to judge" banner that has sealed his 'hero status' among gay communities? Needless to say, it catapulted him to a world phenom status whose message of peace, acceptance and tolerance has been put forth as antidote to an ailing world. In his less than two years of tenure to the papacy, Pope Francis has shown tremendous resolve to unite all religions by propagating acceptance of one another and encouraging them into a "meaningful dialogue".

It is no surprise that the pope has gained tremendous popularity worldwide and his incomparable charisma has drawn people to him because of his no-nonsense approach to issues that are of great significance to all. From overhauling some of centuries-old Catholic-held tradition in the name of acceptance and inclusiveness to reaching out to homosexuals and atheists as though heaven is easily accessible to all without preconditions - all in the name of false peace and unity. Here is why:

On atheists:

Pope Francis got the best applause yet from atheists when he famously proclaimed in September 2013 that atheists do not necessarily have to believe in God to go to heaven - as long as they follow their own conscience. (And there goes John 3:16!) He made it clear that atheists do not have to be confused as to who reigns supreme over whom, and or if these so-called gods do really exist - as long as he keeps his ability to follow his own conscience. So if atheists are really pissed off seeing a cross planted aloft certain private lands and that their conscience tells them it is highly offensive, then by all means he can sue the city council and demand to take it down - and still go to heaven. I think that's the message that does really endear him to atheists who have penchant for suing almost everything that offends them especially Christians.

And what the Bible says about those who do not believe in God, let alone in Jesus the Son of God:

"For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life" ~ John 3:16

"He that believes on Him is not condemned: but he that believes not is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God." ~ John 3:18

"He that has the Son has life; and he that has not the Son of God has not life." ~ 1 John 5:12

"Jesus said to him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man comes to the Father, but by me" ~ John 14:6

The Bible is crystal clear - it speaks in plain language that even a child who has the Spirit of God is able to understand. But the Pope who might be having difficulty understanding let alone believing the Word of God is not having it at all. 

Jesus said: "Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. You shall know them by their fruits..." ~ Matthew 7: 15,16

"Not every one that said to me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that does the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in your name? and in you name cast out devils? and in your name done many wonderful works? And then will profess to them, I never knew you: depart from me, you that work iniquity." ~ Matthew 7: 21-23

The Pope's view on Islam:

In his unsurprisingly shocking pronouncement yet, Pope Francis emphatically warned that equating Islam with violence is wrong, and that he has so much respect for Islam as being peaceful and will do all efforts to make peace through dialogues with Muslims. Okay, that is his impression or conviction, whatever you call it, if only for the sake of publicity or political correctness so that he wins the applause of the entire world. But what does the Quran "the book of peace" advocate for all Muslims?

"Fight and slay the pagans (Christians) wherever ye find them and seize them, confine them, and lie in wait for them in every place of ambush" - Surah 9:5

"O believers, take not Jews and Christians as friends; they are friends of each other. Those of you who make them his friends is one of them. God does not guide an unjust people" - Surah 5:54

"Make war on them until idolatry is no more and Allah's religion reigns supreme." - Surah 8:39

"Slay them wherever ye find them and drive them out of the places whence they drove you out, for persecution is worse than slaughter." - Surah 2:191

"Fighting is obligatory for you, much as you dislike it." - Surah 2:216

And the stark contradiction is that, the Bible is replete with commands to "love your neighbor,  love and pray for your enemy" -  promises of abounding grace, love that endures forever, unmerited favor, God's forgiveness for a repentant soul, new life in Christ, and I could go on and on.

Having quoted all of the above, I doubt whether  the Pope actually reads the Bible. But fret not for we have the answer:

 "The person without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God but considers them foolishness, and cannot understand them because they are discerned only through the Spirit." ~ 1 Corinthians 2:14

"Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it sees him not, neither knows him: but you know him; for he dwells with you, and shall be in you." ~ John 14:17

On Homosexuality and same-sex-marriage:

While he remains pro-conventional marriage and anti-abortion, Pope Francis reserves the right to welcome the LGBT community to the Catholic fold but refuses to condemn the practice of homosexuality. He is sending a wrong message that practicing homosexuals are welcome to the church if they seek the Lord and have goodwill but stays short of rebuking them of their practice. So to him it is okay as long as they come to the church and intently seeking the Lord. But here's the irony of it all: how can one seek the Lord intently without him repudiating his works of iniquity? What kind of relationship does a sinful unrepentant man with a holy and righteous God? I think he didn't see any problem with that - after all "who am I to judge"? So, it's not surprising that he is well-loved by all.

"Who am I to judge" is a very soothing, feel-good message and lullaby to their ears - but isn't it we love them enough that we are called to warn them? If time and again they expostulate with Christians that Jesus in his lifetime never condemned the homosexual practice - in contrary this is what the Bible says:

"Do not have sexual relations with a man as one does with a woman; that is detestable." ~ Leviticus 18:22

"Because of this, God gave them over to shameful lusts. Even their women exchanged natural relations for unnatural ones. In the same way the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with lust for one another. Men committed shameful acts with other men, and received in themselves the due penalty for their error." ~ Romans 1: 26, 27

"Or do you not know that wrongdoers will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor men who have sex with men, nor thieves

 nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God." ~ 1 Corinthians 6: 9,10

Ecumenism as the way forward

Paramount to the pope's visit apart from visiting the typhoon-ravaged province of Leyte will be a an inter-faith dialogue scheduled to be held at the University of Sto. Tomas in Manila. Those expected to attend are selected invitees consisting of leaders of major religions in the Philippines - even members of the LGBT community are expected to be in attendance - this is all in the name of inclusiveness and tolerance advocated by the pope. But let's wait and see if there are Evangelicals or Pentecostals who will be in attendance. In the meantime, let's see how this partnerships fare in the light of the Word of God:

But "can two walk together, except they be agreed"? ~ Amos 3:3

"Be you not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: fro what fellowship has righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion has light with darkness?" ~ 2 Corinthians 6:14

Since ascending the throne, the pope has been a champion for initiating dialogue with other faiths. His goal is to extend his wrapping arms toward other religions, invite them to the Vatican and even started the unthinkable: the reading of the quran and a call to prayer by an imam inside the halls of the Vatican. He says he has profound respect for other religions and have no problem dining with other religious leaders who do not acknowledge Jesus as the Son of God. His charisma and popularity is such that he even got some  false prophets and teachers from the Evangelical Christianity to dine and high-five with him at the Vatican. If no one has briefed him that Muslims are being commanded not to make friends with Christians and Jews, and that they believe that the sin-less and holy Jesus is more inferior and lesser degree of a prophet than the warrior Mohammad who had married a six-year old girl and had sex with her when she hit nine - is already irrelevant when what motivates him is his thirst for world approval at the expense of God's truth.

What does the Pope's visit to the Philippines mean to Filipino Catholics?

Filipino Catholics are some of the most deeply religious people in the world. They would gladly self-flagellate on Holy Week - some go the extra mile by having themselves crucified so as to "share Christ's sufferings". The least devout may settle for kneel-walking from church's entrance to the altar; the fit and athletic ones may climb mountains on foot as their own brand of'sacrifice'. (I am so clueless how did all these 'penance' come about). Even famous personalities do their share of 'sacrifices' albeit on national television. A former vice-president and famous broadcast journalist has his tv company document live on air his death-defying exploits every time he battles with a sea of people to get a grip of the icon of the Black Nazarene when paraded every January in Manila. And the list goes on.

Tell it  lovingly to their face that it is a form of idolatry and that God hates idolatry and punishes idolatrous people - if not you will be running for your life the next. So how would these devout Catholics handle a situation wherein the "official representative of Christ on earth" will be appearing (as though a theophany) in their land and will be rubbing elbow with the 'downtrodden'? Even at this moment, replicas of the pope are being manufactured en masse, and million units of T-shirts are being printed for sale in order to accommodate the demand from those who love and worship the beast pope. 

While not every poor individual will get the chance to shake hand or touch the hemline of his garment - expect the rich and powerful, and the 'pious' to be seated close to him and get to converse, kiss his hands, and if he obliges which he usually does - do selfie with him. To most Catholics, this is going to be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see the pope in the flesh - and to them it's just like seeing God in the flesh. A high-ranking priest even called on every Catholic via national tv to bring in a Sto. Nino replica with them for a 'mass blessings' - so that if five million would come out to see the 'god in the flesh' - that would mean a hysterical round-the-clock mass production of the 'forever-baby Jesus' to the delight of those businesses specializing in manufacturing gods or idols.

Whether they heed or not, we still love our Catholic brothers and sisters so much so that we do not want them to continue treading this path while there is time. God in His word had cursed His own people up to the fourth generations after them because of idolatry. He will never give His glory to anyone. All that worship idols He will surely put to shame. Surely every Catholic at some point in their life has already heard the truth of God's word. But it is still up to that individual whether to heed the truth or not. Religion surely cannot save us - everyone believes that - but to many, religious tradition is just hard to let go and the simplicity and clarity of God's truth is just as equally as difficult to embrace. 

As for those belonging to the Body of Christ, we have been adequately warned:

"And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that you be not partakers of her sins, and that you receive not of her plagues." ~ Revelations 18:4

"He that has ears to hear, let him hear" ~ Matthew 11:15

"He that has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit said to the churches." ~ Revelations 3:22

Rick Warren Declares "Other Religions Love Jesus"

"We all love Jesus!" is the marked declaration by Pastor Rick Warren that reverberates across  four corners of the room when speaking at an inter-religious conference hosted by the Vatican.

On 17th to 19th of November this year, Pope Francis hosted at the Vatican the Humanum Conference with a theme: An Inter-religious Colloquium on the Complementarity of Man and Woman. The said conference gathered faith leaders from the world's major religions such as Islam, Judaism, Sikh, Hindu, Buddhism, Taoist, Mormons, Southern Baptists led by Russel Moore, and of course the Evangelicals who were proudly represented by the popular and well-loved Pastor Rick Warren.

This endeavor by the Vatican to gather different religious minds and get them to speak to a worldwide audience was aimed at knowing and understanding every faith's stance on marriage and how it can still facilitate unity and respect amid 'little differences' in one another's doctrine. Well, to a natural man that sounds pretty noble and awesome to hear, that is if wisdom is not applied here.

But why in the world is Pastor Rick Warren in attendance and 'representing' the Evangelicals? For starters, Pastor Rick is widely considered as "America's pastor". The man is incredibly famous - his exploits are already sealed in the annals of world history due to his world-renowned peace, unity, understanding, and reaching-out-to-other-religions no-nonsense initiatives that make him constant fixtures in global forums. Given the weight of his resume, Rick Warren understandably was a popular choice to represent Evangelicals or the Bible-believing believers in general.

Since attendance to the said conference is by invitation-only status, his presence did not come as a surprise. To be representing the entire Bible-believing community in the world stage carries as much of a responsibility as well as opportunity to preach Jesus Christ as the Savior of the world. It's incumbent of every true Christian to proclaim his faith and what he believes just like an Imam who you would find assertive of his proclamation that Mohammed is the last messenger of Allah - to a captive audience. 

Being in this select group of 'like-minded' faith leaders pursuing a unified goal to 'put definition to and restore the sanctity of marriage', you do not expect Pastor Rick Warren to be in violent disagreement with other faith leaders. The essence of this gathering was to 'solve minor differences' in order to advance the cause of healthy family life. Of course, a seeker of truth finding himself struggling to connect the dots would naturally be in a dilemma when the definition of marriage is being juxtaposed in the contexts of both Muslims and Christians. The former will have nothing against the latter, that's for sure. But will Pastor Rick Warren readily concur to a Mohammedan assertion that a 4-wife limit still falling into a 'sanctified marriage' category? 

Interestingly enough, here's what Pastor Rick Warren had to say in his speech:

"It's great to be with leaders from different streams of Christianity from all over the world. Although we have some differences, we all love Jesus Christ and we all want marriages and families to be healthy and strong."

And there you have it! but the last time we did some fact-checkings:
1. not everyone in attendance belongs to a 'stream of Christianity',
2. I still have to find a Taoist, a Hindu or a Buddhist among others, that love the Lord Jesus Christ,
3. that 'little differences' to Pastor Rick is but 'negligible' compared to the sovereign truth of the gospel,
4. or perhaps Pastor Rick suffers from confusion about his audience?

As if 'America's pastor' has been feeling sick and tired to the perception towards the Christian religion in general that he has had enough, hence self-deprecating by announcing to the world that, "as Christians, we seem to be known more for what is against than what we're for; and I want to change that". Such is the unpopularity of Christians that he is hell-bent to change that in order to blend in for the 'common good'.

Unfortunately for him, we are yet to find Bible verses that states Jesus wanted to be popular so that he made friends with sadducees and pharisees, high-fived with Caiaphas and thumbs-upped those traders at the temple. Jesus did talk to prostitutes to show them the Way to His Father; He ate with sinners to lead them to Himself. But Jesus never did as Rick Warren does:  blending together false religions with Christianity, and never blending the lies with truth. If Pastor Rick believes he ought to be popular, by all means, but Jesus clearly warned His disciples in Luke 21:17 "and you shall be hated of all men for my name's sake". In John 15:18 He also added, " if the world hates you, you know that it hated me before it hated you".

While Jesus made himself clear about the world ultimately hating us Christians because of Him and His message, some famous evangelicals on the other hand are in a frenzy to win approval and admiration from those who do not acknowledge Jesus. Key to this is the safe assumption that every religion strives for man's well being by advocating peace and harmony. This is not the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ!

"But even if we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you a gospel contrary to what we have preached to you, he is to be accursed! As we have said before, so I say again now, if any man is preaching to you a gospel contrary to what you received, he is to be accursed!" ~ (Galatians 1:8,9)

"Jesus said: I am the way, the truth and the life; no man comes to the Father but by me." (John 14:6)

"He that is not with me is against me; and he that gathers not with me scatters abroad." ~ (Matthew 12:30)

So how can all these false religions agree with Rick Warren's assumption that 'they also love Jesus'? Which Jesus is he referring to?

Here's a very interesting subject central to the conference according to facilitators:
"Religious scholars will examine how this relationship is lived in cultures and societies of Christians, Buddhists, Sikhs, Hindus, Taoists, Muslims and Jews.

The focus is on the meaning of marriage around the globe, and God's plan, as understood by religions around the globe.

"God's plan, as understood by religions around the globe." Really? So, when did God's plan become subject to the interpretations of men? Whether or not these faith leaders  have different concept of marriage as opposed to the biblical marriage between a man and woman only, is totally irrelevant. Whether the Catholic's centuries-old doctrine on conventional marriage has evolved and is subject for fresh interpretation to accommodate deviants is totally irrelevant. God's plain command, plain and simple, that was given to men, totally immutable in nature - is one that should matter. What can these false religions say then at the authority of the Bible when they themselves ironically are being dragged under a broad umbrella of those who 'love Jesus Christ'?

Central to the issue of marriage, and central to social ills, is the gospel of Jesus Christ, the true Lord and Savior. And here's what the Bible emphatically decrees: that unless a person has been redeemed by the blood of the Lamb, the Lord Jesus Christ, it does not matter how brightly his morals shine, he nevertheless dwells in darkness.

It does not take this conference alone to expose Rick Warren and other false teachers from the evangelical mainstream (there are a lot of them), for the Lord Jesus Christ will always see to it that His true bride is being adequately warned and continued to be sanctified by truth. 

"Why he said, Awake you that sleep, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give you light. See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise. Redeeming the time, because the days are evil." ~ Ephesians 5: 14-16

More "James White on Rick Warren's Capitulation to Rome" at Do Not Be Surprised.