Participants: Graham Weir
Series Code: FGW
Program Code: FGW000028A
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00:27 Hello, and welcome to part three
00:31 of The Reformation Revisited. 00:33 I'm Graham Wier. 00:34 And this six-part series 00:37 is an examination of the Great Protestant Reformation 00:40 and its implications 00:42 for the survival of Christianity today. 00:46 In this episode 00:47 we're going to look at some of the tactics 00:49 of the enemy 00:50 to destroy the Reformation spirit 00:53 both in the past and today 00:57 because the Counter Reformation is still going forward, 01:00 we need to look at what's happening today. 01:02 Let's begin with a prayer. 01:09 Loving Father in heaven, 01:11 we pray Thee and thank Thee 01:13 for an opportunity to consider the wonderful heritage 01:16 You've given us as Christian. 01:20 The price that is being paid for the freedom 01:22 that we enjoy today 01:24 and we are conscious 01:26 that the enemy of our righteousness, 01:29 Satan himself, 01:31 seeks to destroy this Protestant Reformation 01:35 and it is even being announced 01:36 that the Protestant Reformation is over. 01:40 Lord, we know it is not over. 01:42 It will not be over until you come, 01:45 so we pray that You will bless us today 01:47 as we go through this program as we examine this material. 01:52 We pray that You will give us eyes to see 01:55 and ears to hear and more than this, 01:59 we pray that You will give us heart inclined 02:02 to do Your will 02:04 because we ask these things in Jesus' precious name. 02:07 Amen. 02:12 Our text today is 1 Peter 5:8-11 02:18 and I'll be reading from the screen 02:20 because that makes it easier for the viewers 02:22 to see the text and it says this: 02:25 Be sober, be vigilant because your adversary, 02:30 the devil, as a roaring lion, 02:32 walketh about seeking whom he may devour. 02:38 And verse 9 says, 02:39 "Whom resist steadfast in the faith, 02:43 knowing that the same afflictions 02:45 are accomplished in your brethren 02:47 that are in the world." 02:49 And verse 10 says, "But the God of all grace, 02:51 who hath called us 02:53 unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, 02:56 after that ye have suffered a while, 02:59 he will make you perfect, 03:01 stablish, strengthen and settle you. 03:04 To him be glory and dominion for ever and ever, Amen." 03:09 That's a good text, isn't it? 03:11 Well, the Protestant Reformation 03:13 was one of the greatest events in world history. 03:16 By the mid 16th century, 03:18 this movement had swept right throughout Germany 03:21 and was advancing to Switzerland, 03:24 England, France, Austria, and many other parts of Europe 03:29 and the Roman Catholic Church was seriously concerned 03:33 because at this time they had the Muslims waging war 03:36 against some of their territories 03:38 and they had the Protestants fighting them from within 03:41 and they were in trouble. 03:43 Not only was the church in trouble 03:45 but the devil was also in trouble 03:48 because here was a Christian movement 03:49 calling for a return to the Bible 03:52 and the Bible only. 03:55 The devil knew fully well 03:56 that if the Bible were taken seriously, 03:58 there would be a return to the commandments, 04:01 a return to the truths, 04:02 and a return to Jesus 04:04 as the only source of salvation. 04:06 So what was the solution? 04:09 The Roman Church conscious of the truth 04:12 of some of the Protestant claims, 04:14 they wanted to have its own reformation. 04:16 So it started what it called the Catholic Reformation 04:21 but which later became known 04:22 as the great Counter Reformation 04:25 because of it's preoccupation 04:27 with cantering the advances of the Protestants. 04:32 While the Catholic Church met together 04:33 over a number of years 04:35 in the northern Italian city of Trent 04:37 and this commission of cardinals 04:39 was given the task of institutional reform 04:43 that addressed contentious issues 04:45 such as corrupt bishops and priests' indulgences 04:49 and other financial abuses. 04:52 They also instituted two main instruments 04:55 to counter the Protestant Reformation. 04:58 The first of these was to duplicate 05:00 the Spanish inquisition 05:02 and establish it more fully in Italy 05:04 and other parts of Europe. 05:07 This ruthless suppression effectively branded those 05:10 who didn't agree with the church 05:12 as enemies of the State 05:15 and caused a huge number of them 05:17 to lose their lives. 05:19 More than 100 million, more than four times 05:22 the population of Australia were murdered 05:26 because they didn't agree with the church. 05:30 But one of the biggest weaknesses of the church 05:32 of that period was their religious order. 05:35 No one really took them seriously. 05:38 So the second major initiative of the council 05:41 was to establish a number of new monastic orders 05:44 with improved education, clear purposes, 05:48 and more responsible administration 05:50 and among these, 05:52 the Jesuits were the most outstanding. 05:55 Organizing their order along military lines, 05:58 that were characterized by careful selection, 06:00 rigorous training, and iron discipline. 06:05 The pioneer for the Jesuits was Ignatius Loyola. 06:10 He was a Spanish man 06:11 who had been physically disabled 06:12 by a cannonball during battle. 06:15 Loyola turned to religion with great fervor 06:18 and fanaticism 06:20 and he was a brilliant visionary 06:21 who would let nothing stand in the way of his dream 06:25 and that dream was to wipe out Protestantism 06:28 and reestablish the one Holy Catholic Church. 06:33 The Jesuits grew from just 10 members 06:35 to over 15, 000 06:37 and they spanned the globe within the first 100 years. 06:41 Their induction ceremony 06:42 and oath of allegiance 06:44 make for frightening reading even today. 06:49 It clearly demonstrates their absolute determination 06:52 to destroy Protestantism 06:54 and all its systems of government 06:56 so not just the religion 06:58 but also the secular government 06:59 that's based on Protestant principles. 07:02 I want you to take a look at the sample 07:04 of just a part of their oath of allegiance 07:09 and it says, I'm quoting, 07:11 "I do further declare, that I will help, assist, 07:15 and advise all or any of his Holiness' agents 07:19 in any place 07:21 wherever I shall be, in Switzerland, 07:24 Germany, Holland, Denmark, Sweden, 07:29 Norway, England, Ireland, or America 07:34 or in any other kingdom or territory 07:37 that I shall come to, 07:38 and do my uttermost 07:40 to extirpate 07:41 the heretical Protestants or Liberals' doctrines 07:45 and to destroy all their pretended powers, 07:48 legal or otherwise." 07:52 Well it gets a lot more specific than that 07:55 and you might well ask the question, 07:57 is this still relevant today? 07:59 Is it still in use today? 08:02 Well, you can examine the evidence for yourself 08:04 on this website 08:06 but be warned it isn't bedtime reading. 08:11 So if you go into bible believers 08:12 .org.au/jesuits.htm, 08:19 you'll find it 08:20 and you can read it for yourself. 08:21 I tell you what, it's not very pleasant, 08:24 and I haven't revealed the worst part of it to you. 08:28 Well, if you do an examination 08:30 of the history of this organization 08:31 from many sources 08:33 it seems to reveal a number of tactics. 08:36 One of them 08:37 is that they will infiltrate key organizations 08:41 particularly as a churchee 08:44 and especially in the key positions 08:46 of academic influence and administrative control. 08:50 This was their key strategy. 08:52 And then slowly overtime they would introduce error 08:57 deliberately designed to create arguments and division. 09:02 Just little differences of opinion at first 09:05 and then larger more important divergences 09:09 until eventually as more people became involved, 09:13 they would be splits 09:15 and smaller offshoots would form, 09:20 which in time 09:21 would also experience arguments and division 09:24 and still more splits 09:26 and still other offshoot groups, 09:29 until eventually the original structure 09:32 became shattered by internal divisions 09:35 into a million fragments like an exploding rock, 09:39 or perhaps an even much more subtle 09:42 and more dangerous strategy, 09:46 instead of shattering the organization 09:47 into nonexistence by internal explosions, 09:51 they would gradually introduce "issues" and "policies" 09:57 that were designed to create compromise 09:59 and conformity 10:02 and eventually neutralize 10:04 the distinctive prerogative organizational papacies 10:08 without destroying its structure, 10:11 but instead would turn it into a tool 10:13 that would aid Jesuit papacy. 10:16 And it's helpful to remember at this point 10:18 that these purposes are clearly stated 10:20 in their own documents. 10:22 Remember, 10:23 it's the total destruction of Protestantism 10:26 and eventually the democratic 10:28 and republican systems of government, 10:30 did you note that? 10:32 Not just the religion 10:34 but the democratic 10:36 and republican systems of government 10:37 that originated in the minds of the Protestant refugees 10:41 from papal state supported persecution. 10:45 So this text tell us 10:47 that they are not only against Christianity, 10:50 they also are against democracy and Protestantism 10:55 and republicanism. 10:58 They may say they're not, 11:00 but the evidence proves otherwise. 11:03 One very prominent author, 11:05 the most prolific woman writer in American history, 11:08 Ellen White, 11:10 she wrote The Great Controversy book 11:12 which was a great commentary on Christian history. 11:15 She actually had much to say about the Jesuits. 11:19 I'm going to quote here 11:20 so you can see for yourself what she had to say. 11:22 Remember this was written 150 years ago. 11:28 She said that Jesuits were the most cruel, 11:30 unscrupulous and powerful of all the champions of popery. 11:35 Cut off from earthly ties and human interest, 11:38 dead to the claims of natural affection, 11:41 reason and conscience, holy silence, 11:44 they knew no rule, 11:46 no tie but that of the order and no duty 11:51 but to extend its power. 11:54 The gospel of Christ had enabled its adherence 11:56 to meet danger 11:57 and endure suffering undismayed 11:59 by cold, hunger, toil, and poverty, 12:03 to uphold the banner of truth in the face of the rack, 12:06 the dungeon, and the stake. 12:08 To combat these forces, 12:10 Jesuitism inspired its followers 12:13 with a fanaticism that enabled them 12:15 to endure like dangers 12:17 and to use in the fight against truth 12:20 all the weapons of deception. 12:23 There was no crime too great for them to commit, 12:26 no deception too base for them to practice, 12:29 no disguise too difficult for them to assume. 12:33 That the perpetual poverty and humility 12:37 it was their studied aim to secure wealth and power 12:40 to be devoted 12:41 to the overthrow of Protestantism 12:44 and the re-establishment of the papal supremacy. 12:49 When appearing as members of their order, 12:51 they wore a garb of sanctity, visiting prisons and hospitals, 12:56 ministering to the sick and the poor, 12:59 professing to have renounced the world 13:01 and bearing the sacred name of Jesus 13:03 who went about doing good. 13:06 But under this blameless exterior, 13:09 the most criminal and deadly purposes 13:11 were often concealed. 13:14 It was a fundamental principal of the order 13:16 that the end justifies the means 13:20 and by this code lying, theft, perjury, 13:26 assassination, were not only pardonable 13:30 but commendable 13:32 when they serve the interest of the church 13:35 and the various disguises the Jesuits work their way 13:38 into offices of state, 13:40 claiming out to be the counselors of king 13:43 and shaping the policy of nations. 13:46 They became servants, 13:48 to act as spies upon their masters. 13:51 They established colleges for sons of princes and nobles 13:55 and schools for the common people 13:58 and the children of Protestant parents 14:00 were drawn into the observance of popish rites. 14:04 All the outward pomp and display 14:05 of the Roman's worship 14:07 was bought to bay to confuse the minds 14:10 and dazzle and captivate the imagination, 14:13 and that's the liberty 14:14 for which the fathers had toiled and bled, 14:16 were betrayed by the sons. 14:20 The Jesuits rapidly spread themselves over Europe 14:23 and wherever they went, 14:25 they followed every Bible of popery 14:28 to give him greater power, 14:29 a bull was issued reestablishing the inquisition. 14:33 Notwithstanding the general abhorrence 14:35 with which it was regarded even in Catholic countries, 14:39 this terrible tribunal was again set up 14:41 by popish rulers, 14:43 and atrocities too terrible to bear the light of the day 14:47 were repeated in its secret dungeons. 14:50 In many countries, 14:52 thousands upon thousands 14:53 of the very flower of the nation, 14:56 the purist and the noblest, 14:59 the most intellectual and the highly educated, 15:02 pious and devoted pastors, 15:05 industries and patriotic citizens, 15:08 brilliant scholars, talented artists, 15:11 skillful artisans were slain 15:14 or forced to flee to other lands." 15:19 Not a pretty picture, is it? 15:23 Even earlier than Ellen White, 15:25 the second president 15:26 of the United States, John Adam, 15:29 he saw this evil society developing 15:31 and he tried to warn 15:33 his successor Thomas Jefferson in 1816 15:37 and in his letter to Thomas Jefferson, 15:40 he said this: 15:42 "I do not like the reappearance of the Jesuits. 15:45 Shall we not have regular swarms of them here, 15:48 in as many disguises 15:50 as only a king of the gipsies can assume, 15:53 dressed as printers, 15:54 publishers, writers, and schoolmasters? 15:57 If ever there was a body of men 15:59 who merited damnation on earth and in Hell, 16:01 it is this society of Loyola's." 16:05 And another president, Abraham Lincoln, 16:08 was also well aware of the underhand work 16:11 of the Jesuits when he wrote this statement. 16:15 He said the war, 16:16 he was talking about the American Civil War 16:18 of 1861 to 1865, 16:20 he said, "The war would never have been possible 16:23 without the sinister influence of the Jesuits." 16:27 And unfortunately today 16:29 the purposes of the Jesuit order 16:31 appear to be frighteningly close to fulfillment. 16:36 Over 30 years ago, 16:37 a former Jesuit, Alberto Rivera, 16:40 revealed that a prearranged signal 16:42 would indicate 16:43 when all the churches of America 16:46 had been successfully infiltrated by the Jesuits. 16:50 All the churches of America, not one of them left out. 16:54 And he said the sign 16:56 that would be given would be this. 16:58 A president would take his oath of office 17:01 facing an obelisk like this one in Washington DC 17:06 and this happened on January 20, 1981, 17:12 when president Reagan for the first time in history 17:16 the swearing in ceremony of the United States President 17:19 were moved from the east side to the west face 17:21 of the Capitol Building 17:23 and president Reagan took his oath of office 17:25 while facing 17:27 the Washington monument, an obelisk. 17:31 So recorded history leaves us 17:33 no doubt that the establishment of a Jesuit order 17:36 is one of Rome's most effective weapons 17:38 against Protestantism. 17:40 Now we are going to go back and we're going to take a look 17:42 at some of the other issues 17:44 that arose at the Council of Trent. 17:46 It wasn't just the Jesuits, they had other strategies. 17:52 The foundation doctrine of a Protestant 17:55 was Sola Scriptura, 17:56 The Bible and the Bible only. 18:00 This doctrine revealed to everyone 18:01 the great gap between what the church said 18:04 and what the Bible told 18:06 and challenged Rome's claim 18:07 that church tradition carried more authority than the Bible. 18:11 Knowing this, 18:12 some members of the council argued 18:14 for a return to the Bible 18:16 and they felt this would be the best foundation 18:19 for a revival in their own church. 18:22 Sounds good, but this approach was overwhelmingly defeated. 18:27 There was a clean majority 18:29 who voted for the church to continue to uphold tradition 18:33 and church authority over the Bible. 18:37 The turning point came 18:39 when the Archbishop of Reggio gave his speech proving 18:42 that the Protestants also believe 18:45 in the authority of the church over tradition. 18:49 He said they do not really believe in the Bible 18:52 and the Bible only and this was his evidence. 18:57 He pointed to the fact 18:58 that the Protestants were keeping what day? 19:01 Sunday. 19:02 Sunday. 19:04 A day of worship established 19:06 by church tradition and authority, 19:09 and certainly not a day of worship 19:11 based on the Bible. 19:13 He admitted this quite openly. 19:17 He said this, 19:20 "The Sabbath, the most glorious day in the law, 19:22 has been changed into the Lord's day. 19:25 These and other similar matters 19:27 have not ceased by virtue of Christ's teaching, 19:31 for he says he has come to fulfill the law, 19:33 not to destroy it, 19:35 but they have been changed 19:37 by the authority of the church." 19:40 Well, this statement gave 19:42 the Church of Rome great courage 19:43 and confidence in their faith. 19:46 But there was still something else 19:47 that they knew 19:49 was their theological Achilles heel. 19:53 The reformers have based their opposition 19:54 to the papacy on Bible prophesy in the Book of Daniel 2. 19:59 And these time prophecies had acutely identified 20:03 all the major world powers 20:04 that would arise throughout history 20:07 from the time of Babylon 20:09 until the second coming of Christ. 20:12 They correctly understood that the head of gold 20:14 or the image 20:16 that King Nebuchadnezzar 20:17 saw in his dream in Daniel 2 20:20 represented the nation of Babylon, 20:23 and that the chest and arms of silver 20:25 represented the Medes 20:27 and the Persian which arose after Babylon, 20:30 and the belly and the thighs of brass 20:32 were the symbol of Greece which arose next, 20:35 and that the legs of iron 20:36 represented the iron monarchy of Rome 20:39 which arose after Greece, 20:41 and that the feet and toes of part iron and part clay 20:45 symbolized the divided nations of western Europe. 20:49 And finally they also understood 20:51 that the rock which descended from the heaven 20:54 and smashed the image in the feet represented 20:57 the second coming of Christ to set up His righteous kingdom 21:01 that would never be overcome or destroyed. 21:04 They understood all that. 21:07 And as well as this they had correctly pinpointed 21:09 their own time period in Bible prophecy 21:13 and they identified the papacy as the antichrist of Daniel 7 21:19 and the whole of Revelation 17. 21:22 They had correctly calculated 21:24 that the beginning of the cult 60 days or years 21:28 prophesied in the Book or Revelation began in AD 538 21:33 when the Roman Catholic Emperor Justinian, 21:36 united church and state for the first time, 21:40 and they predicted it would end in the year 1798, 21:43 which it did on 11th of February of that year. 21:48 Exactly 1260 solar years from 538 because on that day, 21:54 Napoleon General Berthier took the pope prisoner. 21:58 He abolished the church-state relationship 22:00 and established the Roman Republic. 22:04 Well, this theological discovery 22:06 threatened the very existence of the Roman Church. 22:09 It was definitely 22:11 their theological Achilles heel. 22:14 So the Council of Trent 22:16 was effectively a council of war 22:18 that had they come up with a strategy 22:19 to fight this theological threat. 22:23 Well, the Jesuits, the great academics, 22:27 the brilliant scholars in the church said 22:30 we'll take care of this one, let us fight it. 22:34 And finally after being granted a period of time 22:37 to study the problem, 22:38 they came up 22:40 with two alternative approaches 22:43 deliberately designed to counter the reformation 22:47 by undermining 22:48 its approach to Bible study and interpretation. 22:53 In the first one, 22:55 Alcasar invented a doctrine called Preterism 23:00 and this doctrine applied 23:02 the prophecies in Daniel and Revelation 23:05 to the Jews and pagan Rome. 23:07 He wrote, "All those prophecies occurred in the past 23:10 and cannot be applied to Papal Rome." 23:15 But outside the Catholic Church 23:16 these theories were not well accepted 23:19 and had little impact and eventually 23:20 that just faded away. 23:23 Another Jesuit scholar, Francisco Ribera, 23:26 according to Wikipedia 23:28 and you can look this up for yourself. 23:30 In order to remove the papacy of the Catholic Church 23:32 from consideration of the antichrist, 23:35 he wrote a 500-page commentary on the Book of Revelation, 23:39 and in this book he proposed 23:41 that the first few chapters of the apocalypse 23:44 actually applied to ancient pagan Rome 23:47 and the rest to a future period 23:49 of three and a half literal years 23:51 immediately before the second coming of Christ. 23:55 He said the antichrist would do the following things. 23:59 They would persecute Christians. 24:01 Deny Jesus. 24:03 Kill the two witnesses of God. 24:05 Pretend to be God. 24:07 Abolish Christianity. 24:09 Destroy Rome. 24:11 Rebuild a Jewish Temple. 24:13 And conquer the world. 24:15 Remember he cooked all these up. 24:17 This is just a theory. 24:19 To prove these deliberately false conclusions, 24:22 Ribera proposed 24:24 that the 1260 days and 42 months 24:26 and three and a half times of prophecy, 24:29 in Revelation 11 and Daniel 12 24:31 were not really 1260 years 24:35 based on the year-day principle, 24:37 which we'll find in Numbers 40:34 and Ezekiel 4:6. 24:42 But he said it was a literal three and a half years, 24:45 and therefore he hoped to disprove 24:47 the Protestant finding 24:49 and deflect the tension away from the papacy. 24:53 So the Protestant's prophetic time chart 24:55 that identified the papacy 24:57 is the year to Christ was censored by the Jesuits 25:01 and it was replaced 25:02 with a deliberately designed lie 25:05 that twisted Daniel's prophecy about Christ 25:09 and applied them to an antichrist. 25:11 Of course, it would be a Jew 25:13 who would appear at some unspecified time 25:16 way off in the future. 25:19 Instead they came up with this. 25:23 During this theoretical 70th week at the end of time, 25:27 Christ would come secretly and the saints would vanish. 25:31 Go to secret rapture. 25:34 But the Bible says in Revelation 1:7 25:36 that every eye will see Him when He comes. 25:39 That's hardly a secret, isn't it? 25:42 There is no secret rapture. 25:44 He prepares it after the rapture, 25:46 futurism claim that an individual antichrist 25:49 would make an agreement with the Jews, 25:51 the temple in Jerusalem will be rebuilt 25:53 and Jewish sacrifices would be reinstituted. 25:57 And then, he said, the antichrist 25:59 will break his agreement with the Jews, 26:01 there will be a great tribulation. 26:03 The Jews will be converted 26:04 and 144,000 of them would preach to the world 26:08 and, therefore, he said 26:09 all the Old Testament prophecies concerning the Jews 26:12 will be fulfilled at that time. 26:16 Well, these two deliberate deceptions 26:18 by the Jesuits effectively shifted the focus 26:22 away from the pope to the antichrist 26:23 of the Bible prophecy. 26:25 One pointed to the past, 26:26 the other one pointed to the future. 26:29 And unfortunately these lives 26:32 have been so devilishly effective 26:36 that today almost all of Protestant denominations teach 26:41 that there will be a secret rapture 26:43 followed by the coming of the antichrist. 26:45 Have you noticed that, folks? 26:47 If you look at the teachings of other denomination, 26:50 you'll find out. 26:53 And you might even find, if you look carefully, 26:58 that the foreign policy of the United States 27:02 is built on this kind of theology. 27:07 So you can see today if you look back at history 27:10 that what the papacy couldn't accomplish by fear, 27:13 torture, and slaughter, 27:15 they're now accomplished by stealth, 27:18 infiltration into political 27:20 and financial positions of power 27:22 and appearance of reform party 27:25 and deceptive theology 27:28 that seeks to bring all Protestants back together 27:30 with Rome with the pope as their leader. 27:36 So we need to ask the question. 27:39 Just how close are we today 27:41 to the fulfillment of the papacy's goal 27:43 of the total destruction of Protestantism? 27:47 How close are we really? 27:49 I want you to watch this video clip 27:50 from Pastor Doug Batchelor of Amazing Facts. 27:56 Now why is it historic? 27:58 Because in 1999 the Roman Catholic Church 28:02 and the Protestant Lutheran Church 28:05 signed an agreement 28:07 that brought an end to the protest. 28:10 Luther believed that we were saved 28:13 by grace through faith alone. 28:16 Oh, yes. 28:18 Amen. 28:19 A little correction. 28:21 It wasn't just Luther that believed this. 28:24 It was tens of thousands of dedicated Christians 28:28 that wanted to get back to the Bible. 28:29 Hus believed it, Wycliffe believed it, 28:31 Tyndale believed it, 28:33 all the great reformers believed it. 28:34 It wasn't just Luther. 28:36 But that's not it. 28:38 The Catholic Church believed that we were saved by works 28:42 and that was their protest. 28:45 In 1999, they wrote this together, 28:49 because in the Protestant Church 28:51 there were lot of cheap salvations. 28:53 People were getting born again but no fruit whatsoever 28:56 and because we didn't even look for fruit, 28:58 it wasn't the issue, 28:59 'cause it wasn't necessary for salvation and no it's not. 29:03 But it's the good judge if you are saved. 29:05 That's right. 29:07 So what these two churches did, 29:08 they put the two definitions together. 29:09 Listen to it. 29:11 I'm reading verbatim from the Catholic Vatican website. 29:15 "Justification means 29:17 that Christ himself is our righteousness 29:21 in which we share through the Holy Spirit 29:24 in accord with the will of the Father. 29:27 Together we Catholics and Protestants, 29:31 Lutherans believe and confess 29:34 that by grace alone in faith in Christ's saving works 29:41 and not because of any merit on our part 29:45 we are accepted by God and receive the Holy Spirit 29:49 who renews our hearts 29:51 while equipping and calling us to good works." 29:57 Amen. 30:00 This may sound like it was just the Protestant Luther. 30:03 Luther didn't protest against one thing. 30:05 He nailed 95 different points of protest 30:09 on the doors of the Wittenberg Church. 30:11 This is addressing one of the issues. 30:13 This is not the only issue 30:15 and you'll notice that in the wording, 30:17 in the language that's used in this agreement, 30:19 it's really convoluted and cagey 30:21 because the Catholics were looking for a wording 30:24 where they would not need to renounce 30:26 what they formally believed 30:27 or say there was anything wrong with their doctrines. 30:29 And so... 30:31 We don't have time to go into that 30:32 but it's not exactly what it appears on the surface. 30:38 This brought an end to the protest of Luther. 30:43 Brothers and sisters, Luther's protest is over. 30:47 Is yours? 30:52 In 1999 this was signed by the Lutheran Church, 30:56 the federation worldwide, 30:58 later about five years later 31:00 the worldwide Methodists signed the same agreement, 31:02 but as of today 31:03 we still have had no Protestant evangelical 31:06 that will stand up and sign this agreement 31:08 to agree with our brothers and sisters 31:10 that we're saved by grace through faith to good works. 31:15 That's right. 31:16 And I believe that's something that needs to be fixed. 31:19 Let's pause. 31:20 So he is really throwing down the gauntlet. 31:22 He is saying Lutherans have signed an agreement 31:25 that the protest is over 31:26 and the Methodists signed this agreement, 31:28 now we're looking for the Evangelicals 31:31 and the Pentecostals to sign this agreement 31:33 and so we can all be one again. 31:35 The Protestant Reformation, not necessary, 31:39 we're all in harmony now. 31:41 There's a challenge for you. 31:44 So the protest has been over for 15 years, 31:49 and I get a bit cheeky here 31:50 because I challenge my Protestant pastor friends, 31:53 if there is no more protest, 31:55 how can there be a Protestant Church? 32:00 I think it's easy for us to see where this is going. 32:04 The distinction between Protestants and Catholics 32:07 is being chipped away at. 32:10 This is a movement toward a one-world religion. 32:13 This is exactly what prophecy says 32:15 has to happen before Jesus comes back. 32:17 The world's being shaken right now. 32:19 There will only be two groups when Christ comes back. 32:22 One group will have the seal of God, 32:24 the other group will have the mark of the beast. 32:26 Obviously if there are 32:27 33,000 different Christian denominations, 32:29 something has to happen 32:31 to polarize these two groups into those, 32:34 one of those two camps. 32:36 This is where you're seeing 32:37 prophecy being fulfilled right now, friends. 32:39 These are the kind of statements, 32:40 these are the kinds of appeals 32:42 that would be made to bring everybody together 32:45 into one unified body where we downplay doctrine, 32:49 downplay the Bible. 32:54 Ellen White saw this coming 150 years ago 32:58 and she wrote about it. 33:00 This is what she said, 33:03 "The Protestants of the United States 33:04 will be foremost in stretching their hands 33:06 across the gulf to grasp the hand of spiritualism, 33:12 they will reach over the abyss 33:14 to clasp hands with the Roman power, 33:18 and under the influence of this threefold union, 33:21 this country, 33:22 and she is talking about the United States, 33:25 will follow in the steps of Rome 33:27 in trampling on the rights of conscience." 33:33 So what is this threefold union she is speaking about here? 33:36 It is simply this. 33:38 She is saying that the Roman Church 33:40 will gain the cooperation of secular governments 33:43 and the new-age minded public 33:46 who although professing no religion 33:49 nevertheless follow many of the ideas of spiritualism 33:52 and even mysticism and also the third one, 33:57 Apostate Protestantism, 33:59 meaning Protestants who have unwittingly embraced 34:02 the ideas of Romanism. 34:04 They are being tricked. 34:05 They had many sincere people in this other denomination. 34:09 They're not aware of what Satan is doing 34:11 through his agent and they are being tricked. 34:15 They've embraced the ideas of Romanism. 34:18 These three significant voices of the modern age 34:21 will unite together to promote the agenda of Rome, 34:26 which although claiming to be working 34:28 for the common good of all people 34:30 and to save the planet from looming destruction, 34:33 but nevertheless will quickly work 34:35 to bring in laws that actually trample 34:38 on the rights of conscience of any descendant. 34:42 And ultimately, in particular, 34:44 anyone who refuses to participate 34:46 in her unbiblical worship practices. 34:51 I'm quoting again from Ellen White. 34:52 She said that "Papists, Protestants, 34:54 and worldlings alike 34:56 will accept the form of godliness without the power, 34:59 and they will see in this union 35:01 a grand movement for the conversion of the world 35:04 and the ushering in of the long-expected millennium." 35:07 Remember the rapture theory? 35:11 "When our nation, the United States, 35:13 shall so abjure the principles of its government 35:16 as to enact a Sunday law, 35:18 Protestantism will in this act join hands with popery. 35:24 It will be nothing else than giving life to the tyranny 35:26 which has long been eagerly watching for its opportunity 35:30 to spring again into active despotism." 35:35 And Ellen White wasn't the only one 35:37 to have serious concerns about the idea of unity at any cost. 35:42 That great English preacher of the 19th century, 35:45 Charles Spurgeon, had this to say, 35:49 "A chorus of ecumenical voices keep harping the unity tune. 35:54 What they are saying is, 35:55 'Christians of all doctrinal shades and beliefs 35:57 must come together in one visible organization, 36:00 regardless... 36:01 Unite, Unite!' 36:03 Such teachings, he says, 36:05 is false, reckless, and dangerous. 36:08 Truth alone must determine our alignments." 36:12 He said, "Truth comes before unity. 36:15 Unity without truth is hazardous." 36:18 He said, "Our Lord's Prayer in John 17 36:20 must be read in its full context." 36:22 Look at verse 17: 36:24 "Sanctify them through thy truth." 36:26 And what is thy truth that he say? 36:28 "Thy Word is truth." 36:31 "Only those sanctified through the Word 36:33 can be one in Christ. 36:35 To teach otherwise, he said, is to betray the gospel." 36:39 Amen? Amen. 36:41 It is, isn't it? 36:43 In our own world, 36:45 president of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, 36:46 Pastor Ted Wilson in his first inaugural sermon in 2010, 36:51 he quietly warned about drifting away 36:54 into deceptive theology that tended towards unity 36:58 at the expense of truth. 36:59 When he said this, he was thing ahead. 37:03 He said, "Don't reach out to movements 37:04 or megachurch centers 37:06 outside the Seventh-day Adventist Church 37:08 which promise you spiritual success 37:10 based on faulty theology. 37:13 Stay away from non-Biblical spiritual disciplines 37:16 or methods of "spiritual formation" 37:19 that are rooted in mysticism such as "contemplative prayer", 37:23 "centering prayer", and the "emerging church" movement 37:26 in which they are promoted." 37:28 He said, "Go forward, not backward! 37:31 Stand for truth though the heavens fall. 37:34 Don't succumb to fanatical or loose theology 37:36 that wrests God's Word 37:38 from the pillars of Biblical truth 37:40 and the landmark beliefs 37:41 of the Seventh-day Adventist Church." 37:43 Can you say amen to that? Amen. 37:46 He says, "Today my dear brothers and sisters 37:48 of the Seventh-day Adventist Church." 37:50 And I think we can say this to other denominations as well. 37:54 "We must stand firm on the foundations of scripture." 37:57 What do you say, folks? 37:58 This is the basis of the Protestant Reformation. 38:01 "As God's "people of the Book", let us read the Bible, 38:05 let us live the Bible, teach the Bible, 38:09 and preach the Bible with all power from on high." 38:12 What do you say? Amen. 38:13 That's a good statement. 38:16 So, friend, we ask the question, 38:17 "Where do you stay in today?" 38:20 Have you been a victim of deceptive teaching 38:23 that although claiming to lead you into truth, 38:26 have actually led you further away from it? 38:29 Has that been your situation? 38:32 Would you like to learn more about the real truth? 38:36 The truth that the enemies of God hate 38:39 and they do their most, 38:40 their utmost to obscure 38:42 while claiming to be the followers of God. 38:46 The truth about Jesus Christ as the Son of God 38:48 who came to this world 38:50 to demonstrate the love of God in doing everything possible 38:53 to save man from seeing an eternal separation from God. 38:58 The truth that out of profound gratitude 39:01 lead to a deep desire 39:03 to be obedient to his commandments 39:05 and live a new life free from sin. 39:09 Not in order to be saved, 39:12 we don't keep the commandments in order to be saved. 39:14 That's a fallacy. We are not legalists. 39:17 We keep the commandments out of gratitude 39:21 for what God has done for us, isn't that so? 39:23 It's the response to the belief of salvation, 39:27 not a means to salvation. 39:28 There is a big difference. 39:31 As the will of man cooperates with the will of God, 39:34 in accordance with his divine words in the Bible, 39:37 it becomes omnipotent. 39:40 Isn't that good news? 39:42 It becomes supernaturally empowered. 39:44 We're not left to overcome temptation 39:47 or accomplish great things, you know, own human strength. 39:51 Whatever is to be done at his command 39:53 may be accomplished in his strength. 39:57 All his biddings are enabling. 40:00 He gives us supernatural hope 40:02 to overcome seemingly impossible obstacles 40:05 and move forward as we go in grace 40:10 and practical godliness. 40:11 That's good news, isn't it? 40:14 If you would like to learn more for our viewers, 40:17 if you would like to learn more about the wonderful truth, 40:20 I would like to invite you today 40:21 to respond to this special offer. 40:24 Pick up your pen and write this down. 40:27 Here is the information you need. 40:33 Inspired by the Reformation, 40:35 The Great Controversy DVD production 40:37 is a musical and historical journey through Europe. 40:41 It Is Written's John Bradshaw 40:43 joins Fountainview Academy to host this production 40:46 filmed in five different countries of Europe 40:48 at historically meaningful sites. 40:51 These young musicians share not only music 40:54 but personal testimonies 40:55 and powerful reformation stories 40:57 still relevant to our lives today. 41:02 To order your own set of 41:04 The Great Controversy DVD and book 41:05 by Fountainview Academy Orchestra and Singers, 41:08 visit their online web store at store.fountainview.ca. 41:13 That's store.fountainview.ca, 41:18 or you may call them in North America 41:20 on 1-877-490-4141. 41:30 Friend, time is running out fast. 41:33 Do you believe that? 41:35 Can you see it happening? 41:36 Can you see the times fulfilling? 41:39 The prophesied events 41:41 that we've been writing for for so long 41:42 are happening right in front of our eyes. 41:46 It won't be long before we see Jesus 41:48 coming back in the clouds just as He promised. 41:52 And He wants you to be ready. 41:55 He wants to take you with all the faithful of all ages 41:58 whom He will raise from their grave back with Him 42:02 to live for eternity 42:04 in a new heaven and a new earth, 42:07 no longer contaminated with sin and death. 42:10 Isn't that the hope we're waiting for? 42:12 Amen. 42:13 Isn't that what we do all this work for? 42:16 Isn't that what we strive for? 42:19 Will you be ready? 42:21 Will you make a decision to stand up for Jesus? 42:24 Right now, as you listen to this beautiful message 42:28 by Pastor John Bradshaw 42:30 and the Fountainview Academy Orchestra. 42:40 Now this is history. 42:44 At one time in his life, Martin Luther was captured. 42:48 As it turned out, he was captured 42:50 by some of his own supporters 42:52 and he was brought here to the Wartburg Castle 42:56 in Eisenach in Germany. 42:59 You see, while he was here, 43:00 and he was here for about ten and a half months, 43:02 Martin Luther was used by God 43:05 to translate the New Testament into German. 43:09 Without the Bible there could be no reformation, 43:12 so Luther translated the Word of God 43:15 into the language of the people 43:18 and he did it right here in this very room. 43:22 Over the years and years gone by, 43:25 I mean, many of Martin Luther's supporters 43:28 came to this room to leave their mark. 43:31 They have carved their name 43:33 and the date of their visit into the walls of this room. 43:37 In fact, one reason why Luther's original desk 43:39 is not extant today 43:42 is because over the years his supporters came here 43:44 and they would take away a little piece of his desk. 43:47 In the end it simply ceased to exist. 43:49 Interesting story about his time here. 43:51 Luther was brought here secretly 43:53 and even the soldiers who worked here 43:54 didn't know who he was. 43:56 They were told he was a man named Junker Jorg, 43:58 George the noble, and so Luther who grew his beard 44:02 and grew out his hair was incognito. 44:05 Many people thought he was dead. 44:06 His enemies were rejoicing. 44:08 They were confident that he was dead. 44:10 But Luther was anything but dead. 44:12 He was very much alive 44:14 and because he had spent time here 44:16 during which he could translate the Bible. 44:18 The Bible was very much alive. 44:21 And because the Bible had been delivered 44:22 into the hands of the people in their own language, 44:25 the reformation in Germany 44:27 and then throughout the world was surging forward. 44:59 Stand up, stand up for Jesus 45:03 Ye soldiers of the cross 45:07 Lift high His royal banner 45:11 It must not suffer loss 45:15 From victory unto victory 45:20 His army shall He lead 45:24 Till every foe is vanquished 45:28 And Christ is Lord indeed 45:40 Stand up, stand up for Jesus! 45:44 The trumpet call obey 45:48 Forth to the mighty conflict 45:52 In this His glorious day 45:56 Ye that are His now serve Him 46:00 Against unnumbered foes 46:04 Let courage rise with danger 46:08 And strength to strength oppose 46:41 Stand up, stand up for Jesus 46:45 Stand in His strength alone 46:49 The arm of flesh will fail you 46:53 Ye dare not trust your own 46:57 Put on the gospel armor 47:01 And watching unto prayer 47:05 Where duty calls or danger 47:09 Be never wanting there 47:22 Stand up, stand up for Jesus 47:26 The strife will not be long 47:30 This day the noise of battle 47:34 The next the victor's song 47:38 To him that overcometh 47:42 A crown of life shall be 47:46 He with the King of glory 47:50 Shall reign eternally 47:54 Stand up, stand up 47:57 Stand up 48:09 What do you say? 48:11 Amen. Amen. 48:13 Beautiful music? Yes. 48:14 Harmonic music. 48:16 Just a little taste of heaven. 48:18 Let us pray. 48:24 Loving Father in heaven, 48:26 we pray Thee and thank Thee so much for the provisions 48:28 You've made for us to learn the truth. 48:31 You've shown us the mighty heritage 48:34 of the Protestant Reformation. 48:37 You've shown us the plans, 48:39 the strategies of the enemy of all righteousness, 48:43 your personal enemy, Satan. 48:45 He has worked through his agents, 48:47 his unwitting agents on this earth 48:50 to corrupt and turn Your people 48:53 away from the great goal of reuniting with You. 48:57 We certainly do want unity, 48:59 but Lord we want unity with You. 49:02 And we want unity on the basis of truth with our brethren, 49:07 not the unity without doctrine, 49:10 for we perceive that the Protestant Reformation 49:12 is far from over. 49:14 Now, please bless us as we move forward 49:16 in faith and practice. 49:18 Give us the ears to hear, eyes to see, 49:20 and move their heart, Lord, to do according to Thy will, 49:25 to reach out to others 49:26 and to spread this wonderful message of truth 49:29 while the window of opportunity is open 49:33 because we perceive it is fast closing. 49:36 And Lord, we are conscious also of the fact 49:40 we need the Holy Spirit's power to do it. 49:42 We cannot do it alone, 49:43 we cannot keep that commandment alone, 49:46 but we know and we're confident that You've told us, 49:49 we can keep it in Your power 49:50 because that's what Jesus demonstrated. 49:53 So please bless us as we move forward 49:55 in faith and practice. 49:56 We thank You for hearing us in Jesus' precious name. 50:00 Amen. |
Revised 2017-12-24