Roman Catholic Heresies

Roman Catholicism vs. Christianity (Part Two)

The Truth About Roman Catholicism

Author: M.H. Reynolds
Source: In Plain Site
Link: about.me/gideonsword



THE ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH is by far the largest and wealthiest of all the so-called "Christian Denominations." It has consistently claimed to be the only true Church--the Church which was founded by Jesus Christ during His earthly ministry. In addition, especially in this generation, it has embellished its image and attracted and held members by the claim that it is the one Church which has never changed, All of these claims are false. However, in recent years, the Roman Catholic Church has done a complete about-face, actually boasting of the many changes it has instituted to meet the changing needs of Catholics and non-Catholics alike in this modern age.

Is the Roman Catholic Church the one true Church? Are its past and present teachings and practices Scriptural? How has the Roman Catholic Church changed through the centuries? How much has it changed in our lifetime? Have these changes been basic or superficial? Where is the Roman Catholic Church headed?

The purpose of this article is to turn the spotlight of truth upon Roman Catholicism both as to its past history and present teachings. Our sincere desire is to be of help to Catholics, many of whom are well aware that, in recent years, their church has been Instituting many changes, most of which have left them confused, uncertain, and deeply troubled. For the first time in their lives, many Catholics are raising serious questions about their Church, its leaders, its teachings and its practices. They now realize that their church is not united but divided over issues such as birth control, abortion, divorce, celibacy for priests, women clergy, gay clergy, Papal infallibility, prayer, worship, music, purgatory, confession and even the meaning of the Mass. The moral degeneracy and financial scandals which have rocked the Charismatic movement have also been exposed in the Roman Catholic Church, all the way from the Vatican to the local parish. Confusion reigns supreme and Catholics who take their religion seriously don't know which way to turn.

A source of further confusion for many is the fact that for centuries Roman Catholics were taught that all those outside its membership were heretics to be shunned, persecuted or even killed. It was not until the middle of this century that the Roman Catholic Church modified and softened its stand by first calling non-Catholics, "separated brethren." More recently, even that negative connotation has been eliminated so that today, Catholics are to consider "all Christians" to be "brothers and sisters in Christ."
[Also See The Two Faces of Catholicism]

However, these changed outward attitudes on the part of Roman Catholics toward non-Catholics, and their increasing usage of evangelical terminology, has unfortunately resulted in many evangelicals mistakenly believing that the basic false doctrines and heresies of Romanism have changed, something that simply is not true. Thus, both Catholics and non-Catholics alike should take a fresh look at Biblical, historical and current look at this largest supposedly Christian denomination in the world. If it is the one true Church as it claims to be, then every believer in Christ should become a part of it. But, if it is and always has been a false church, then all who truly believe the Bible and trust Jesus Christ as Saviour will separate from it, warn about it, and urge others to do likewise.

Through our extensive radio and literature ministries, it has been a great blessing to hear from many former Roman Catholics who have been delivered from the bondage of the false doctrines of Romanism; who have experienced the new birth by faith in Jesus Christ alone; and who are doing their best to reach their Catholic loved ones and friends with the Word of God and the Gospel of Jesus Christ. At the same time, it has been a real heartache to realize that so many non Roman Catholics who profess to know Christ as Saviour, have been deceived by the new attitudes and vocabulary of Catholicism so that the Roman Catholic Church is now being accepted by many evangelicals as a sister church with only minor differences rather than the false church which it actually is.

The truth about the Roman Catholic Church is that it always has been and continues to be a false church. Those Biblical doctrines it professes to believe and teach are vitiated by Roman Catholic dogma based upon tradition which contradicts God's holy, infallible Word, the Bible. Error is never more deceptive than when it is presented with a veneer of truth. Throughout its entire history, Roman Catholic leaders fit the description of the false teachers who God warned in advance would come on the scene in the last days, deceiving many by their "feigned' (pretended or hypocritical) words... their "great swelling words of vanity, " as described in 1 Peter 2:1.-3, 18-19.

Before examining and refuting some of the well known false teachings of the Roman Catholic Church, it is essential to understand that two basic false teachings of Roman Catholicism (even apart from its many other errors), clearly classify it as a religious cult rather than a true church. These two basic errors are:

First: Roman Catholicism, although teaching that the Bible is the Word of God, adds the spurious apocryphal books to the Scriptures, and also elevates church tradition and the edicts of popes and councils (the words of men), to the same or an even greater level of authority than the Word of God. This amounts to adding to the Word of God, thereby placing Roman Catholicism under God's curse. (Deut. 4:2; Rev. 22:18, 19)

Second: Roman Catholicism, although teaching that faith in Jesus Christ is necessary for salvation, actually denies the truth of the Gospel by adding sacraments, good works, and purgatory as additional requirements for forgiveness of sin and eternal life. This amounts to the preaching of a false Gospel which places the Roman Catholic Church under God's curse. (Gal. 1:6-10)

Thus, by Scriptural standards, the Roman Catholic Church is a false church which can only expect God's judgment, not a true church which can claim God's blessing. No amount of outward change should be permitted to obscure this fact.

As for the claims of the Roman Catholic Church that its history can be traced back to Jesus Christ, Peter, or the other apostles, such claims lack both historical and Scriptural support. The true Church of Jesus Christ was not founded upon Peter, but upon Peter's confession of Christ's deity as recorded in Matthew 16:16: ".. Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. " Peter was not the first pope nor is there any Scriptural justification whatever for such an office. Peter's own inspired testimony as to his position and ministry is given in I Peter 5:1-4. He further identifies himself in 2 Peter 1:1 as "a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ....' History confirms the fact that there were no popes in the early church nor even in the Roman Catholic Church during the first centuries of its existence.

Furthermore, the long-held claim that the Roman Catholic Church was the only church which never changed is not supported by church history nor even Roman Catholic history. How sad to realize that this false claim influenced so many to join or to stay in this false church which actually is the product of centuries of changes. Most of these changes came as a result of yielding to heathen customs and practices which were subsequently incorporated into Roman Catholic teachings and worship. The following is a partial list of heathen, unscriptural practices which became a part of Roman Catholic dogma over a period of seventeen centuries. Some of the dates given are approximate. In many cases, these heresies were even debated for years before being given the status of required beliefs:

1. Prayers for the dead . ……300 A.D.
2. Making the sign of the cross ……300 A.D.
3. Veneration of angels & dead saints ……375 A.D.
4. Use of images in worship…… 375 A.D.
5. The Mass as a daily celebration…… 394 A.D.
6. Beginning of the exaltation of Mary; the term, "Mother of God" applied a Council of Ephesus….431 A.D.
7. Extreme Unction (Last Rites)……526 A.D.
8. Doctrine of Purgatory (Pope Gregory 1)……593 A.D.
9. Prayers to Mary & dead saints ……600 A.D.
10. Worship of cross, images & relics……786 A.D.
11. Canonization of dead saints ……995 A.D.
12. Celibacy of priesthood ……1079 A.D.
13. The Rosary ……1090 A.D.
14. Indulgences ……1190 A.D.
15. Transubstantiation (Pope Innocent III) ……1215 A.D.
16. Auricular Confession of sins to a priest ……1215 A.D.
17. Adoration of the wafer (Host)……1220 A.D.
18. Cup forbidden to the people at communion …...1414 A.D.
19. Purgatory proclaimed as a dogma……1439 A.D.
20. The doctrine of the Seven Sacraments confirmed ……1439 A.D.
21. Tradition declared of equal authority with Bible by Council of Trent……1545 A.D.
22. Apocryphal books added to Bible ……1546 A.D.
23. Immaculate Conception of Mary……1854 A.D.
24. Infallibility of the pope in matters of faith and morals, proclaimed by the Vatican Council ……1870 A.D.
25. Assumption of the Virgin Mary (bodily ascension into heaven shortly after her death) ……1950 A.D.
26. Mary proclaimed Mother of the Church……1965 A.D.

Although some of the preceding Roman Catholic heresies are now being questioned by many, both inside and outside the church, none have been officially repudiated and all continue to be practiced by millions of Catholics around the world. The urgent need today is for Roman Catholics; yes, and all who claim to be Christians, to examine their own beliefs and the teachings of their churches by the only sure standard--the Bible. Whatever contradicts, adds to or subtracts from the sixty-six books of the Old and the New Testaments, is error no matter how many may cling to it.

Roman Catholics who read the Bible will soon discover that many Catholic teachings and practices are specifically forbidden by Jesus Christ Himself. Note carefully the following warnings given by the Lord Jesus Christ to the religious leaders of His day concerning vain worship, vain tradition and vain repetitions. All of these are particularly applicable to Roman Catholicism today.

Vain Worship: In Matthew 15:8-9, Jesus said,

"These people draw nigh unto me with their mouth and honor me with their lips; but their heart is far from me. But in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commands men of men." (Emphasis added)

All worship is indeed vain when it is based upon the commandments of men rather than the Word of God.

Vain Tradition: In Matthew 15:6b, Jesus said, "Thus have you made the commandment of God of none effect by your tradition." (Emphasis added)

(Note: Valid tradition is based upon Scripture and confirms it. Vain tradition is based upon man's teachings and violates it. In Roman Catholicism, tradition is consistently elevated above the Scripture which results in vain worship (no matter how sincere) and makes the commandment of God of no effect-a very serious matter.)

Vain Repetitions: In Matthew 6:7, Jesus said, "But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking." A basic part of Roman Catholic worship is the frequent repetition of the Rosary whose origin is clearly tied to heathen religions such as Hinduism, Islam, and Buddhism. Roman Catholics should listen to the words of Christ forbidding vain repetitions, rather than using the vain repetitions of Catholicism.

During the past forty years, at least two important trends in the Roman Catholic church are clearly observable. These are:

(1) A greater emphasis upon the place of Mary.
(2) A major emphasis upon ecumenical activities with a view to seeking the full visible unity of all religions.

The place accorded Mary in the Roman Catholic Church is not Scriptural nor is it new, but it cannot be denied that, during the last one hundred years, veneration of Mary has dramatically increased, (Note in the historical chart given earlier in this article that the exaltation of Mary and the term, Mother of God, became official Catholic dogma in 431 A.D.,) with prayers to her proclaimed in 600 A.D. But, note also that the "Immaculate Conception of the Virgin Mary" was not proclaimed until 1854; her "Assumption" not until 1950; and her title "Mother of the Church" not until as recently as 1965.

Some Roman Catholic observers believe it may not be much longer until Mary is officially proclaimed "Co-redemptrix with Christ." In fact, the premier issue of a new Roman Catholic publication, Catholic Heritage (Vol. 1, No. 1, Sept.-Oct. 1991) has the front page title: "Mary, Mother of the Church," and, in a Question and Answer column, the question is asked, "At the foot of the cross, Mary shared in the mystery of the passion. True or False? Answer: True. Mary united her sorrows to those of her Son. The sorrowful and immaculate heart of Mary bled with her Son for all of mankind. For this reason, we invoke her under the title of Co-redemptrix."

All of the popes during the past thirty years have done their part to increase the influence of Mary in the Roman Catholic Church based completely on tradition rather than upon the Bible. In the August 28, 1975 issue of the official Vatican newspaper, L'Osservatore Romano, Pope Paul VI, speaking of the ceremony celebrated the day before in St. Peter's in honor of the Madonna at the Feast of the Assumption of Mary said,

"Her venerated image, known as Salus Populi Romani' was carried in procession from St. Mary Major's as part of the Holy Year ceremonies, so that the overflow crowd of pilgrims, coming from all parts of the world, could see it and thus increase their devotion to her. In this way we should all be reminded of the meaning and practice of the cult of Mary, inseparable from the unique and central cult of Christ…Let us pray to her with humble, trusting and childlike faith."

Did you know that the present pope, John Paul II, has dedicated himself completely to Mary? In 1985, during his visit to Vancouver, B.C., the special souvenir edition of B.C. Catholic carried a full front page color photo of the pope under the caption, Totus Tuus which, in Latin, means "all yours." The following explanation was given, "When Karol Wojtyla was consecrated bishop of Cracow by Pius XII in 1958 he took, 'Totus Tuus' (all yours) as his motto, thus presenting himself to Mary. In his first Urbi et Orbi message immediately after being elected pope he said, "At this difficult hour, full of fear, we must turn our thoughts with filial devotion to the Virgin Mary who always lives in the midst of Christ and exists as his mother. We must repeat the words, Totus Tuus which 20 years ago were inscribed into our heart and soul."'

Pope John Paul II has visited many of the major Shrines to Mary. He attributed his escape from death at the hands of a would-be assassin and the overthrow of communism in Eastern Europe to the intervention of Mary. Millions of Catholics are making pilgrimages to the various Marian shrines, seeking and often claiming miracles of healing and answers to their prayers to Mary. New apparitions of Mary and special messages from her are being claimed in various parts of the world. Yet, there is absolutely no Scriptural foundation for any of these beliefs or practices. Mary was indeed a virgin when she conceived Jesus, so that she could fulfill the Old Testament prophecy that Christ would be born of a virgin (Isaiah 7:14). She was a godly woman, but not sinless. As with all true believers in Christ, when Mary died, her soul and spirit went to heaven, but her body awaits the resurrection; she did not bodily ascend to heaven as did Jesus Christ. Nothing in Scripture indicates that prayers were ever offered to Mary nor that she was worshipped by anyone. Most of Roman Catholic teaching concerning Mary is based entirely on human tradition and contradicts the Bible, the Word of God.

The present ecumenical emphasis and activities of the Roman Catholic Church are also of recent origin. When Vatican Council I was held in 1869-1870, the invitation of the pope to the Orthodox Churches to participate was refused; and, his public appeal to "Protestants and all non-Catholics" to "return to the only true fold" received resentful refusals. However, in the intervening years it became increasingly obvious to the Roman Catholic hierarchy that their church needed some serious updating, particularly with regard to relationships with other churches. In 1960, Pope John XXIII established the Secretariat for Promoting Christian Unity; and, in 1962, he convoked Vatican Council II which he called, "An ecumenical council for the universal church."
[Also See The Two Faces of Catholicism]

Less than a year later, Pope John XXIII died, but his successor, Pope Paul VI, who had attended four sessions of Vatican 11 before becoming pope, did everything possible to continue and expand the ecumenical emphasis. His expressed position was that the Roman Catholic Church could best demonstrate the validity of its teaching, not by condemnation or severity, but with the "medicine of mercy." His emphasis was upon "working for the full visible unity in truth among all Christians" and that this unity should extend also to non-Christians. This new approach of Vatican 11 was successful in gaining the co-operation of the major Orthodox Church bodies as well as 38 delegated observers from almost all the major Protestant denominations. Of course, Pope John Paul 11 has expanded the ecumenical emphasis in the Roman Catholic Church to unprecedented heights. While this has received high praise from religious leaders and denominations, the kind of unity sought by the Roman Catholic Church is contrary to the Bible. All unity purchased at the expense of doctrinal purity is satanic and deceptive. (2 Cor. 6:14-18, Eph. 5:11, 2 Tim. 3:1-17; 4:1-8) All who join hands in ecumenical fellowship with those who preach a false Gospel are under God's curse. (Gal. 1:6-10)

The Roman Catholic Church was infiltrated by the Charismatic Movement in the early 1960's. Its influence within Roman Catholicism is growing rapidly. As always, the devil has a very clever way of compounding error while giving the results a more respectable appearance. Once this movement became entrenched in the Roman Catholic Church, RCC leaders under the direction of their Jesuit masters were quick to see that it would be to their advantage to encourage these teachings rather than to oppose them. They discovered that they could use Charismatic practices to help build the Roman Catholic Church by considering it a logical and needed "renewal movement within the church." An added factor was that those who had supposedly experienced the baptism of the Holy Spirit felt a greater love and respect than ever for the Roman Catholic Church, including the Mass, the other sacraments, the veneration of Mary and all the other false teachings of Roman Catholicism. Many people are attracted to the displays of hearings, miracles, and other demonstrations of Holy Spirit's presence and power, not realizing that if it was a true ministry of the Holy Spirit it would lead them to a recognition and repudiation of the false teachings of Roman Catholicism.

Adding to the religious confusion of our day is the inconsistent, compromising position taken by the world's two outstanding evangelical leaders, Billy Graham and Dr. Bill Bright. Both of these men now praise and work with ecumenical apostates and Roman Catholics which represents a complete reversal of their original, Biblical positions. Both are widely respected and have charming personalities, but their present willingness to work with anybody who "calls Jesus, Lord" completely ignores the warning Christ gave in Matthew 7:21-23.
[Related Article: When Did Billy Graham's Compromise Begin?]

Billy Graham now sends Catholics who make "decisions" in his crusades back to the Roman Catholic Church with no warning of the false Gospel it preaches. Bill Bright even has Roman Catholics on his Campus Crusade staff. Both men thus disobey the Bible.
[See Campus Crusade]

What about the Mass which lies at the very heart of Roman Catholic theology and worship? Is its observance based upon Scripture or Catholic tradition? What does Roman Catholicism teach as to its meaning and importance?

The Baltimore Catechism says: "It is a mortal sin not to hear Mass on a Sunday or a holy day of obligation, unless we are excused for a serious reason. They also commit mortal sin who, having others under their charge, hinder them from hearing Mass without a sufficient reason."

The Creed of pope Pius IV, an official creed of the Roman Catholic Church says: "I profess that in the Mass is offered to God a true, proper, and propitiatory sacrifice (that is, a sacrifice which satisfies the justice of God and so offsets the penalty for sin) for the living and for the dead; and that in the most holy sacrament of the Eucharist there is truly, really, and substantially, the body and blood, together with the soul and divinity, of our Lord Jesus Christ; and that there is a conversion of the whole substance of the bread into the body, and of the whole substance of the wine into the blood, which the Catholic Church calls Transubstantiation."

The Council of Trent declared: "The sacrifice (in the Mass) is identical with the sacrifice of the Cross, inasmuch as Jesus Christ is a priest and victim both. The only difference lies in the manner of the offering, which is bloody upon the cross and bloodless on our altars"; and, in Canon I stated: "Whosoever shall deny that in the most holy sacrament of the Eucharist there are truly, really, and substantially contained the body and the blood of our Lord Jesus Christ, together with his soul and divinity, and consequently Christ entire, but shall affirm that he is present therein only in a sign and figure, or by his power, let him be accursed."

But what does the Bible say concerning the sacrifice of Jesus Christ upon the Cross?

Hebrews 10:10-14: "By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. And every priest standeth daily ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins: But this man [Jesus Christ], after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God, From henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstool For by one offering he hath perfected forever them that are sanctified."

What a difference there is between what the Bible teaches and what Roman Catholicism believes and teaches regarding the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the Cross! The supposed continual offering up of Christ by the priests negates His finished work on the Cross. I Peter 3:18, "For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit."

Roman Catholicism makes salvation a long, complicated process with no assurance of eternal life and forgiveness of all sin; to the necessary saving faith in Jesus Christ is added the fleshly works of Baptism, the Mass, Confession, prayers to Mary and the Saints, good works, and purgatory. By contrast the Bible teaches salvation by faith in Jesus Christ alone, not by sacraments, prayers or works. (Eph.2:8, 9; Titus 2:13)
Biblical salvation is God's free gift to any sinner who believes with the heart that Christ died for his sins and rose again for his justification. (I Cor. 15:1-4; Rom.10:9-13)
Bible salvation gives immediate assurance of eternal life. (I John 5:10-13)
Carefully read and believe John 1:12; 3:1618; 3:36; 5:24; 14:1-6; 20:30, 31.
No church ever saved anyone, but Christ can and will save everyone who will come and trust Him as their Savior. (Acts 4:12; John 6:37; 10:27-30)

Trust in Jesus Christ today and be saved for all eternity!

By M.H. Reynolds,
reprinted from Foundation Magazine, Vol. XIII, Issue 1
Fundamental Evangelistic Association
PO Box 6278 - Los Osos - CA 93412 - USA
Please write for free packet of helpful literature

Additional Resources:

Dave Hunt, A Woman Rides the Beast (Eugene, OR: Harvest House Publishers, 1994).

Ralph Woodrow, Babylon Mystery Religion (Riverside, California: Ralph Woodrow Evangelistic Association, Inc, 1978).

The Theology of Roman Catholicism

Roman Catholicism vs. Christianity (Part One)

The Theology of Roman Catholicism

Source: Apologetics Index
This material is excerpted from two of the apendixes in Protestants & Catholics: Do They Now Agree?, by John Ankerberg and John Weldon (Harvest House Publishers, Eugene, OR, 1995. p. 245-246; 267-271).Link: about.me/gideonsword



Introduction / Definition:

The Church of Rome (Roman Catholicism) is a diverse worldwide religious tradition that officially looks to the Pope and his predecessors/successors as God’s human leader of world Christianity.

Because of its size and scope--both in membership (about a billion people worldwide) and geographically, the actual beliefs held by devout Catholics are widespread and eclectic. Catholicism has been influenced by liberation theology, especially in parts of South America. In Africa, the Caribbean, and elsewhere, attempts have been made to blend Catholicism with spiritism, creating a type of Catholicism with occult elements. In addition, since the 1960s there has been a small but significant element of charismatic Catholics who have been influenced by the larger charismatic movement. A small percentage of Catholics are doctrinally evangelical, and others (such as Matthew Fox) are part of the New Age movement. As a whole, however, the differences between Roman Catholicism and Protestantism are still seen most clearly in the issues of the Reformation.

The 16th century reformers distinguished themselves from Catholicism in two key ways. First, they saw the Bible as the sole foundation for authority (sola scriptura) rather than the Pope, church dogma or tradition. Second, the reformers taught salvation by “grace alone” (sola gracia). They also insisted that sola gracia could be faithfully maintained only by understanding the gospel to be the message of a free pardon and righteous standing with God through ''faith alone'' (sola fide) in the imputed righteousness of Christ. The Roman Catholic Church claimed (and still claims) to affirm sola gracia, but anathematized sola fide, teaching instead that grace is received and maintained by a combination of faith plus works (religious rites, sacraments, or human endeavor.)

In their book, Protestants & Catholics: Do They Now Agree?, John Ankerberg and John Weldon write:


Categories of Roman Catholicism:

The issues surrounding Catholic belief and authority are compounded by the fact there are some ten categories of Roman Catholicism around the world. The distinctions between them are often not clear because they may tend to overlap and merge or blur into one another. Nor would individual Catholics necessarily appreciate or agree with such labels. But they will serve as a convenient grouping for purposes of illustration:


Nominal or social Catholicism
The Roman Catholicism of the largely uncommitted--perhaps those born or married into the Church but who have little knowledge of Rome's theology. In practice, they are principally Catholics in name only, although still Catholics ''in Christ'' because of baptism.


Syncretistic/eclecti Catholicism
The Roman Catholicism that is, to varying degrees, combined with and/or absorbed by the pagan religion of the indigenous culture in which it exists (e.g., as in South America and Africa).


Traditional or orthodoxy Catholicism
The powerful conservative branch of Roman Catholicism that holds to papal authority and historical Church doctrines such as those reasserted at the Council of Trent in the sixteenth century. Among this group may be classified the ultra-traditionalist Catholics who adamantly reject Vatican II and generally distrust modern changes (e.g., abandoning the Latin Mass -- something Trent pronounced an anathema upon).[1] Also included are traditionalist Catholics who, while adhering to the entirety of credal Catholicism and papal authority, more or less accept Vatican II reforms while yet staunchly rejecting liberalism.


''Moderate'' Catholicism
The Roman Catholicism of post-Vatican II which is neither entirely traditional nor entirely liberal.


Modernist, liberal Catholicism
The post-Vatican II ''progressive'' Roman Catholicism that to varying degrees rejects traditional doctrine.


Ethnic or cultural Catholicism
Often retained by immigrants to America who use, ''their religion to provide a sense of belonging. They feel that not to be Roman Catholic is not to belong and to lose [their] nationality and roots.'' [2]


Lapsed or apostate Catholicism
The Roman Catholicism which involves alienated, backslidden, or apostate Catholics who are largely indifferent to the Catholic Church and its God.


Charismatic Catholicism
The Roman Catholicism which seeks to accept the baptism of the Holy Spirit and speaking in tongues and other spiritual gifts as signs of a deeper Catholic spirituality. (This illustrates the related, if largely distinct, category of mystical Catholicism, undergirded by the mystical Catholicism and not infrequently occult writings of the Catholics mystics).


"Evangelical'' Catholicism
Former Protestant Evangelicals who may retain some of their former beliefs but who now accept Roman Catholicism as the one true Church and its doctrines as authoritative.


Evangelical ''Catholicism''
The branch of former Roman Catholics who are truly Evangelical and who have largely rejected the unbiblical teachings of Rome, often deciding to remain in the Church as a means to evangelize other Catholics or help reform their Church.


The Theology of Roman Catholicism:

The major broad areas of theology include the following:

Bibiology - The doctrine of the Bible
Theology Proper - The doctrine of God (Theism, Trinitarianism)
Angeology - The doctrine of angels
Anthropology - The doctrine of man
Hamartheology - The doctrine of sin
Ecclesiology - The doctrine of the Church
Christology - The doctrine of Christ
Pneumatology - The doctrine of the Holy Spirit
Eschatology - The doctrine of last things
Soteriology - The doctrine of salvation


In all of the above categories, Roman Catholic teaching historically (to one degree or another) has distorted these key theological doctrines. To the observer having only a general familiarity with Catholic teaching and conservative Protestant theology, this may not at first seem evident. Yet, it would be possible to write an entire text on each one of the above doctrines revealing how Catholicism has distorted what the Bible teaches on these subjects -- either through tradition, its approach to biblical interpretation, or other means.

In other words, whatever truths Catholicism may teach in theology generally, serious errors are also encountered. We can see this, in theology proper (the Catholic Church as the continuing incarnation of Christ); in bibliology (Catholicism as the only true Church of Christ); in hamartheology (aspects of pelagianism; moral and venial categories); in Christology (Mariology; the Church as continuing incarnation; the Mass); and in soteriology (Catholic teaching on justification, sanctification, regenerarion, and the sacraments).


No single doctrine is more important to each of us personally than the doctrine of salvation. In examining the component parts of the biblical portrait of salvation, we find the following:

Depravity -- the spiritual condition of man before God.
Imputation -- to reckon sin or righteousness to another's acocunt
Grace -- the fact of God's nature making Him spontaneously favorable in His dealings with man.
Propitiation -- the satisfaction of God's justice and righteousness through the atonement of Jesus Christ.
Atonement -- the vicarious (substitutionary), efficacious (producing the desired effect) death of Jesus Christ for human sin.
Reconciliation -- to restore to fellowship with God by removing the barriers preventing this.
Calling (efficacious) -- the work of God drawing men to Himself.
Regeneration -- the miraculous work of God making the human spirit alive to Himself and the imparting of eternal life to the individual believer.
Union with Christ -- the spiritually living union of the believer and Jesus Christ.
Conversion -- the human side of regeneration; turning to Christ in faith and repentance (leading to a change in both attitude and behavior).
Repentance -- changing one's mind (mental) and turning from sin (behavioral) (i.e., a change of attitude and action).
Faith -- trust in God, leading to right belief about Him, dependence upon Him, and right behavior toward Him.
Justification -- the forensic or legal declaration of God concerning the believer's absolute righteousness before Him as a result of his faith in Jesus Christ.
Adoption -- to be brought into the personal family of God.
Sanctification -- to be set apart to God's purposes (i.e., growth in relationship to and holiness toward God).
Eternal security -- the absolute security of the true believer with respect to his salvation from the point of regeneration.
Perseverance -- the continuation of the saints in faith unto death.
Election/predestination -- to be chosen by God for salvation.
Redemption -- to remove one from slavery to sin and Satan by payment of a ransom (i.e., the atonement of Christ).
Death, resurrection, and the final state -- involving the physical/spiritual nature of death, the intermediate state, resurrection of the body, immortality, heaven and hell (the physical resurrection of the believer to eternal glory and the unbeliever to eternal ruin).
The church -- the collective body of true believers called out of the world by God for His glory who are joined together visibly in worship and invisibly in union with Christ and one another.

Again, if we were to examine each of the above doctrines in detail, examining what the Bible teaches about them on the one hand and what Catholic tradition/doctrine teaching about them on the other, we would discover that Roman Catholicism has denied, altered, or confused all but one or two.

It is in light of our study of such theology that we find it most difficult to reconcile the current movement on the part of many Catholics and Evangelicals to join themselves together as spiritual brothers and sisters in Jesus Christ. For their part, Evangelicals characteristically maintain that they are not abandoning or glossing over important differences in doctrine between orthodox Catholicism and conservative Protestantism; they merely want to stress the unity of the true church, whether Catholic or Protestant. The problem, however, is that we are not going to gloss over important doctrinal differences, then it becomes impossible to maintain that Catholics and Protestants are genuine brothers and sisters in Christ.

Again, this is not to deny that many Catholics, individually speaking, are saved individuals because they have placed true faith in Jesus Christ and trust in Him alone for salvation -- not in their good works, the sacraments, or the Church. The problem arises when we say that all those committed to the traditional orthodox doctrines of the Catholic Church are saved individuals just as much as the simple believer in Jesus Christ. If so, it would seem that what an individual believes (i.e., whether it is either Catholic or Protestant teaching), has little or no bearing as to his individual salvation. But to say this is to abandon biblical authority and teaching entirely.

The bottom line is this: [Bit is virtually impossible to claim to maintain important doctrinal distinctions on the one hand, and to simultaneously unite Catholic and Protestant believers into a spiritual fellowship on the other.[/B]
We can illustrate this by examining the following five doctrines and considering briefly how each doctrine relates to Catholic teaching:

Propitiation/atonement
This doctrine demonstrates that the death of Christ fully propitiated or satisfied God's wrath and paid the full divine penalty for all the believer's sin past, present, and future, thereby proving that neither the sacraments, penance, purgatorial suffering, indulgences, the Mass, priests, nor any other aspect of the Catholic Church is involved in any way in the propitiation or remitting of sin.

Reconciliation
This doctrine involves one result of the death of Christ for sin wherein the state of enmity between God and man is replaced by one of peace and fellowship, proving that final reconciliation between God and man is something accomplished by God on behalf of man, not by the Church on behalf of man.

Regeneration
This doctrine involves the making alive of the human spirit toward God and the imparting of eternal life, proving that true spiritual life is eternal and a miracle of God, not something instituted by the Church through sacraments or good works.

Justification
This doctrine constitutes the legal declaration of the believer's absolute righteousness before God on the basis of his personal faith in Jesus Christ, proving that our perfect standing before God is not dependent upon Church teaching, sacraments, personal character, or good works, but solely upon our faith in Christ.

Sanctification
This doctrine involves being set apart to God for His glory. A correct understanding of its past, present, and future applications proves that sanctification does not lead to justification, nor should it be confused with regeneration, as Catholicism teaches.

A brief evaluation of the above doctrines illustrates our central concern: As a result of its tradition and/or interpretation of Scripture, the Catholic approach to biblical doctrine is characteristically colored in a non-biblical fashion.


About this article:

This material is excerpted from two of the apendixes in Protestants & Catholics: Do They Now Agree?, by John Ankerberg and John Weldon (Harvest House Publishers, Eugene, OR, 1995. p. 245-246; 267-271).


From the book's back cover:

The signing of a new agreement entitled ''Evangelicals and Catholics Together'... a remarkable achievement or a tragic compromise?

For centuries, Protestants and Catholics have battled over what is considered the most crucial issue on all of the gospel: how a sinful man is forgiven by a holy and righteous God.

Recently, however, a revolutionary new agreement between the two sides has utterly astounded many million of people worldwide: Some of evangelical Christianity's most respected leaders have linked hands with Catholics in an unprecendented accord.

- Have doctrinal differences been eliminated?
- What was decided about justification by faith -- the one issue upon which Martin Luther said the church stands or falls?
- Which side changed its views?

Current issues expert John Ankerberg and John Weldon provide urgently needed answers in response to what could be the most far-reaching change in all of Christendom since the Reformation.


Apologetics Index highly recommends this book. It can be purchased at Amazon.com


Footnotes:

1. H.J. Schroeder, translator, The Canons and Degrees of the Council of Trent (Rockford, Il: Tan Books, 1978) p. 150 (Canon 9 on the sacrifice of the Mass).

2. Lausanne Committee, Christian Witness to Nominal Christians Among Roman Catholics, p. 10.

Revival or Apostasy?

End-Time Revival Or End Time Apostasy?

Link: about.me/gideonsword
Author: Carol Brooks
Edited By: Vicki Narlee
Source: InPlainSite.org
Also See: Understanding Prophecy and Typology

"So let us know, let us press on to know the Lord. His going forth is as certain as the dawn; And He will come to us like the rain, Like the spring rain watering the earth." (Hosea 6:3 NASB)


Defining "Revival"
In this age of great apostasy the one thing the church needs above all else is revival. Unfortunately, although anointing has the dubious honour of being the most overused, misunderstood, and misinterpreted word used in the Christian world, "revival" seems to run a close second.

The word "revive" means to bring back to life or consciousness; resuscitate. To give new health, strength, or spirit to. In other words something has to be restored from an inactive, dormant, or unused state.


What Revival is NOT

1. Evangelistic Meetings
Unfortunately, all too many churches apply the term "revival" to a special evangelistic meeting, or a series of such meetings... the ultimate aim of which is to convey the Gospel message to non-believers. These are usually held in a church building, rented hall, or an open air venue, and can involve guest speakers, a concert or play, and even possibly a meal or light refreshments. The culmination of these meetings is usually the "altar call" which invites the non-believer to 'make a decision for Christ', or uses the non-Biblical term "ask Jesus into their hearts". Obviously, the number of people who do so is the litmus test of the success of the event.

Please note: The modern "altar call" is a concept unknown to the New Testament, which teaches that new believers make a declaration of faith by being believing, repenting, and being baptized (which identifies them with Christ's death, burial, and resurrection), not traipsing down the aisle to the altar.

While, I am sure that some people can be genuinely saved through these programs, they are not authentic Biblical revivals, simply because only a person who already has, or once had, spiritual life can be 'revived'. Noting that the Hebrew word shûb means to "turn back", Psalm 80 says:

"O Lord God of hosts, restore (Heb shûb) us; Cause Your face to shine upon us, and we will be saved." (Psalms 80:19 NASB)

2. Spiritual Entertainment/Experiences
Nor is revival getting your whoop-de-doos down at the altar, as I have heard it amusingly, but accurately, phrased.

Much of what passes for revival in the modern church is designed to get people to feel good about themselves, or have some kind of mystical (often terribly weird) experience. In all cases, it is me-centered. Some Pentecostal and charismatic churches think of revival in terms of how many people display bizarre physical behavior. The allure of receiving some form of 'deeper' spiritual experience has deceived countless millions into accepting various counterfeits. Certainly, revival is not what has been happening at Toronto, Brownsville, or Lakeland. As perfectly expressed by Congregation Shema Yisrael:

"The whole gamut of today's so-called revival scene, from Toronto to Pensacola, must be seriously faced! Videos of the services show people crawling on the floor, howling like wolves, barking like dogs, roaring like lions, going through bodily contortions impossible without the aid of some spiritual power, unable to speak or even remember their names when they try to give a testimony, and worse. Many of those being baptized at Pensacola seem to lose consciousness or shake so violently that they must be carried out of the baptismal tank lest they drown. Others flail about so wildly as to require several men to handle them. Such manifestations were also found in past "revivals" among the Shakers, the Mormons and many other cults. That such things could now be widely accepted as evidence of the Holy Spirit only testifies to the extent of the delusion that is already permeating the Messianic Community!" [1]

Tragically, the church that should have been a bulwark against evil has, with apostate leaders and a Biblically illiterate population, latched on to the coat tails of the world and adopted practices that are DIRECTLY derived from the Occult. [See The Modern Church's Literal Doctrines and Practices of Demons]


What Revival IS
As said earlier, the word "revive" means to bring back to life... to give new health, strength, or spirit to. In the Christian context, the word, therefore, has to mean a spiritual reawakening. As Spurgeon once put it: "to rekindle into a flame the vital spark which was nearly extinguished." [2]

In other words, a Christian revival is a increased or renewed spiritual interest in God and His word. While an individual can certainly be spiritually renewed, the word revival more commonly refers to a group of people who have been turned from the things of this world, to the things of the Lord. It usually involves a conscious and continual awareness of the presence of a holy, just, and almighty God. Suddenly, one is aware of just how "big" He is, and just how "small" we are, which brings an overwhelming realization of just how sinful we are. This obviously leads to repentance and holiness. [See What is Holiness?]

When the prophet Isaiah was granted a vision of the majesty and holiness of God, at whose voice the foundations of the temple trembled, his initial reaction was to give Him glory -- "Holy, holy, holy is the Lord Almighty; the whole earth is full of his glory" (Isaiah 6:3) -- immediately followed by an overwhelming sense of unworthiness:

"Then I said, "Woe is me, for I am ruined! Because I am a man of unclean lips, And I live among a people of unclean lips; For my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts." (Isaiah 6:5 NASB)

However, while the Bible has much to say about end-time apostasy (eg. "When the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on the earth" Luke 18:8), what, if anything, does it say about end-time revival?


Revival In The End Times?
Opinion seems to be pretty sharply divided on the question of an end time revival, with the vast majority of conservative evangelical Christians falling into the 'no revival' camp. However, it is not just the spiritually weird faction of the church that believes there will be a great move of the Spirit in the last days.

On the face of it, those who believe there will be nothing but apostasy in the final days leading up to the end of the age have some pretty solid Scriptural evidence to back them up. For example, speaking out against the false doctrine called "Dominion Theology" or "Kingdom Now", Apologetics Index says:

"The Bible does not predict a great end time 'revival' or a spiritual super-race defeating death and ushering in the kingdom of God, but rather the very opposite: increasing evil, times of peril, a huge apostasy of those who profess to be Christians, false teachings, false prophets, deceptive signs and wonders, and a delusion that will even deceive God's own people if or when possible."


In support of this position they quote (among others) the following Biblical verses:

"Because lawlessness is increased, most people's love will grow cold." (Matthew 24:12 NASB)

"But realize this, that in the last days difficult times will come. For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, revilers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, unloving, irreconcilable, malicious gossips, without self-control, brutal, haters of good, treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, holding to a form of godliness, although they have denied its power; Avoid such men as these." (2 Timothy 3:1-5 NASB)

"For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires, and will turn away their ears from the truth and will turn aside to myths." (2 Timothy 4:3-4 NASB)

"Know this first of all, that in the last days mockers will come with their mocking, following after their own lusts," (2 Peter 3:3 NASB) [3]

The website of Congregation Shema Yisrael says this...

"Rabbi Paul assures us that the Last Days will be characterized by apostasy, not revival. We are not to be deceived into thinking that the apostasy won't come; it must come first, or Messiah simply will not return! Therefore the teaching that there will be a world wide revival in the Last Days, however well intentioned, is Biblically untenable. Paul's prediction can only mean that in the Last Days many professing believers will reject the biblical teaching that apostasy is inevitable." [4]

The Warnings About End Tine Deception
And they are certainly right. Dominion, or Kingdom, theology, is a false and highly dangerous belief system, based upon a post-millennial view which is that Christ will return to earth after the thousand year reign of God's kingdom. The church progressively brings righteousness and peace to the world which will eventually be Christianized. Following a brief time of tribulation, Christ will return to earth and establish a new heaven and a new earth for eternity.

Jesus Himself warned several times about end time deception saying, for example:

"...See to it that no one misleads you. "For many will come in My name, saying, 'I am the Christ,' and will mislead many...Many false prophets will arise and will mislead many...For false Christs and false prophets will arise and will show great signs and wonders, so as to mislead, if possible, even the elect." (Matthew 24:4-5, 11, 24)

Paul stressed this as well:

"...that you not be quickly shaken from your composure or be disturbed either by a spirit or a message or a letter as if from us, to the effect that the day of the Lord has come. Let no one in any way deceive you, for it will not come unless the apostasy comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction, who opposes and exalts himself above every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, displaying himself as being God. Do you not remember that while I was still with you, I was telling you these things?" (2 Thessalonians 2:2-5 NASB--emphasis added)

Besides which, Jesus Himself told us that in the days immediately preceding His return, we shall see strikingly similar conditions to those that existed just prior to the Great Flood (the days of Noah), one of which was that men became exceedingly wicked:

"Then the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great on the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.... Now the earth was corrupt in the sight of God, and the earth was filled with violence. God looked on the earth, and behold, it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted their way upon the earth." (Genesis 6:5, 11-12 NASB)

Note: Genesis also tells us how "the sons of God" took wives for themselves from among the daughters of men, and had children by them, and that the Nephilim, the mighty men of old, walked the earth at that time. While it is patently obvious that mankind is getting worse and worse, if we wish to know what else we are to expect before the wrath of God rains down, then it is essential we know who these sons of God and Nephilim were. [See The Days of Noah]

So the position that there will be no end time revival seems to have strong Biblical support, which begs the question of whether there is any more to it than a superficial reading of the text tells us. Doesn't the Bible tell us that another harvest is yet to come?


Joel's Prophecies
Many of those who do believe that there will be a move of God in the last days refer to the words of the prophet Joel:

"And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions: and also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out my Spirit. And I will show wonders in the heavens and in the earth: blood, and fire, and pillars of smoke. The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and terrible day of Jehovah cometh." (Joel 2:28-31)

Note: The Lord often made Himself known to prophets in visions, and spoke to them in dreams ("...If there is a prophet among you, I, the Lord, shall make Myself known to him in a vision. I shall speak with him in a dream." Numbers 12:6 NASB), which is probably what Joel's prophecy was referring to.


Were Joel's Prophecies Fulfilled On Pentecost?
On the day of Pentecost, Peter, referring to the disciples speaking in the various languages (or dialects) of the people gathered in Jerusalem that day, told the crowd that the men were not drunk as they supposed, "but this is what was spoken of through the prophet Joel." (Acts 2:15-16)

Which brings up a rather large problem...in fact, several large problems.

Only One Point In Joel's Prophecy Was Fulfilled
Peter's words have led many to erroneously assume that Joel's entire prophecy was fulfilled that day. While what occurred on the day of Pentecost was awesome in itself, a simple reading of the prophecy makes it quite clear that almost none of Joel's words came to pass that day. No prophecies were made, no one dreamed dreams or saw visions. There was no blood, fire, or pillars of smoke. The promised terrifying displays of celestial phenomena were conspicuous by their absence....the sun did not turn to darkness, nor the moon to blood. In fact, even the most cursory comparison of the events of Acts 2 with the prophecy of Joel 2 clearly shows that they had only one thing in common...the Lord poured His Spirit out on people.

Additionally, it is significant that Peter did not say 'as it was written', nor that Joel's words were 'fulfilled' (in which case he would have used the Greek word pleroo which occurs some 90 times in the New Testament). For example:

"And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, "And He was numbered with transgressors." (Mark 15:28 NASB)

"Now He said to them, 'These are My words which I spoke to you while I was still with you, that all things which are written about Me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled.'" (Luke 24:44 NASB)

The Prophecy Was Not Aimed Exclusively At Men
And there is one other factor. The people that were gathered in Jerusalem that day were there for the Feast of Shavuot, or the Festival of Weeks, which came fifty days after the First-fruits. Shavuot was one of three major feast that required all able-bodied Jewish men to travel to Jerusalem (the other two being Passover and the Feast of Tabernacles, or "booths" as it is sometimes called). [See The Seven Feasts of Israel]

"Three times in a year all your males shall appear before the Lord your God in the place which He chooses, at the Feast of Unleavened Bread and at the Feast of Weeks and at the Feast of Booths, and they shall not appear before the Lord empty-handed." (Deuteronomy 16:16 NASB)

Acts 2:5 confirms that it was devout men who had gathered in Jerusalem that day: " Now there were Jews living in Jerusalem, devout men from every nation under heaven". However, Joel's prophecy makes it very clear that not only would the Lord pour out His Spirit on all mankind, but it specifically mentions that, as a result of this outpouring, His daughters would prophesy. Verse 29 also states the Lord's Spirit would be poured out on both male and female servants (Joel 2:28-29.)

The Prophecy Occurred After The Day of The Lord
Joel's prophecy began with the words, "It will come about after this..." (2:28)

To figure out 'after what', we have to go back to verse 11, which says speaks of 'the day of the Lord', which is followed by the call to repentance and the restoration of all good things (2:12-27).

Therefore, the prophecy applies to the time after the day of the Lord, which is another reason it could not have been fulfilled on Pentecost.

So What Could Peter Possibly Have Meant?
Bearing in mind that Joel's prophecy and the events of Acts 2 only had the pouring out of the Lord's Spirit in common, the only logical conclusion is that Peter was informing the crowd that the men were not drunk, but what was taking place was the same kind of thing that Joel spoke about. In other words, the same Holy Spirit that would, in the future, cause the people of God to dream dreams and see visions etc. was also responsible for the events on the day of Pentecost.

This can be easily established by not only digging a little deeper into the conditions that immediately preceded Joel's words, but paying close attention to what those events foretold.


The Plague of Locusts Foreshadowed What Is Yet To Come
Joel chapter 1 and 2 (you should read them in their entirety) first speak of a terrible and unprecedented plague of "locusts" which stripping the land of everything green, caused great suffering in the land of Judah. Chapter one, verse six, which speaks of a "nation" (probably the Assyrians) invading the land, gives us some basis for believing that the locusts are to be interpreted symbolically. This is reinforced by terminology that describes the invading army in terms that are military in nature. For example:

"They run like mighty men, They climb the wall like soldiers; And they each march in line, Nor do they deviate from their paths. They do not crowd each other, They march everyone in his path; When they burst through the defenses, They do not break ranks." (Joel 2:7-8 NASB)

However, it does not matter whether Joel was speaking of actual insects, or a foreign invasion, it was disaster so overwhelming that no escape was possible because it was brought about by the Lord Himself. Which means only the Lord could stop the invading army, which He did after the people repented.

Repentance
(11) The Lord utters His voice before His army; Surely His camp is very great, For strong is he who carries out His word. The day of the Lord is indeed great and very awesome, And who can endure it? (12) "Yet even now," declares the Lord, "Return to Me with all your heart, And with fasting, weeping and mourning; (13) And rend your heart and not your garments." Now return to the Lord your God, For He is gracious and compassionate, Slow to anger, abounding in loving kindness And relenting of evil. (14) Who knows whether He will not turn and relent And leave a blessing behind Him, Even a grain offering and a drink offering For the Lord your God? (15) Blow a trumpet in Zion, Consecrate a fast, proclaim a solemn assembly, (16) Gather the people, sanctify the congregation, Assemble the elders, Gather the children and the nursing infants. Let the bridegroom come out of his room And the bride out of her bridal chamber. (17) Let the priests, the Lord's ministers, Weep between the porch and the altar, And let them say, "Spare Your people, O Lord, And do not make Your inheritance a reproach, A byword among the nations. Why should they among the peoples say, 'Where is their God?'"

Restoration
(18) Then the Lord will be zealous for His land And will have pity on His people. (19) The Lord will answer and say to His people, "Behold, I am going to send you grain, new wine and oil, And you will be satisfied in full with them; And I will never again make you a reproach among the nations. (20) "But I will remove the northern army far from you, And I will drive it into a parched and desolate land, And its vanguard into the eastern sea, And its rear guard into the western sea. And its stench will arise and its foul smell will come up, For it has done great things." (21) Do not fear, O land, rejoice and be glad, For the Lord has done great things. (22) Do not fear, beasts of the field, For the pastures of the wilderness have turned green, For the tree has borne its fruit, The fig tree and the vine have yielded in full. (23) So rejoice, O sons of Zion, And be glad in the Lord your God; For He has given you the early rain for your vindication. And He has poured down for you the rain, The early and latter rain as before. (24) The threshing floors will be full of grain, And the vats will overflow with the new wine and oil. (25) "Then I will make up to you for the years That the swarming locust has eaten, The creeping locust, the stripping locust and the gnawing locust, My great army which I sent among you. (26) "You will have plenty to eat and be satisfied And praise the name of the Lord your God, Who has dealt wondrously with you; Then My people will never be put to shame. (27) "Thus you will know that I am in the midst of Israel, And that I am the Lord your God, And there is no other; And My people will never be put to shame. (Joel 2:18-27 NASB)

That Joel was speaking about the last days and the millennium is evident from verse 11, which speaks of "the day of the Lord", and the twice used phrase "My people will never be put to shame" in verses 26 and 27.

In Christian theology, typology is a representation of one thing by another. In other words, a 'type', which always looks to the future, is an actual historical event (or person) which, at the time it occurred, was a rough draft, or glimpse, of one or more actual events yet to come, although the significance may not have been apparent at the original occurrence. The subsequent happenings are called the 'antitype', which usually are more intense and/or more important than the original type. [See Understanding Prophecy and Typology]

The plague of locusts - a terrible scourge that left the land decimated, was but a harbinger of "the day of the Lord" (a phrase frequently used by many of the prophets). It was both a forerunner of, and foreshadowed what is yet to come.


The CRUCIAL Timing of The Fulfillment Joel's Prophecy
Since both Revelation 6:12 and Matthew 24:29 speak about the sun being darkened and the moon turning to blood, we can safely conclude that they spoke of the same event as Joel did. Compare the three relevant passages. [All Emphasis Added]

Joel: "It will come about after this That I will pour out My Spirit on all mankind; And your sons and daughters will prophesy, Your old men will dream dreams, Your young men will see visions. "Even on the male and female servants I will pour out My Spirit in those days. "I will display wonders in the sky and on the earth, Blood, fire and columns of smoke. "The sun will be turned into darkness and the moon into blood Before the great and awesome day of the Lord comes." (Joel 2:28-31 NASB)

Matthew: "But immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will fall from the sky, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. And then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky with power and great glory." (Matthew 24:29-30 NASB)

Revelation: "And there was given to each of them a white robe; and they were told that they should rest for a little while longer, until the number of their fellow servants and their brethren who were to be killed even as they had been, would be completed also. I looked when He broke the sixth seal, and there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth made of hair, and the whole moon became like blood; and the stars of the sky fell to the earth, as a fig tree casts its unripe figs when shaken by a great wind. The sky was split apart like a scroll when it is rolled up, and every mountain and island were moved out of their places. Then the kings of the earth and the great men and the commanders and the rich and the strong and every slave and free man hid themselves in the caves and among the rocks of the mountains; and they *said to the mountains and to the rocks, "Fall on us and hide us from the presence of Him who sits on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb; for the great day of their wrath has come, and who is able to stand?'" (Revelation 6:11-17 NASB)

So when does this take place? Revelation 6:12 says when Christ "broke the Sixth Seal", while Matthew says "immediately after the tribulation of those days" which, obviously, have to be exactly the same point in time.

Matthew 24 (the Olivet Discourse), which has always been a notoriously difficult chapter to understand, becomes much clearer if the reader bears in mind that Jesus differentiates between the "Tribulation" He speaks of in verse 9, and the "Great Tribulation" of verse 21. Although He uses the same Greek word in both verses, He qualifies the second usage by the word "great" (verse 21), translated from the Greek megas, which is where we get the English word 'mega'.

"Then they will deliver you to tribulation, and will kill you, and you will be hated by all nations because of My name. At that time many will fall away and will betray one another and hate one another. Many false prophets will arise and will mislead many. Because lawlessness is increased, most people's love will grow cold. But the one who endures to the end, he will be saved." (Matthew 24:9-13 NASB)

"For then there will be a great (Gk. megas) tribulation, such as has not occurred since the beginning of the world until now, nor ever will. Unless those days had been cut short, no life would have been saved; but for the sake of the elect those days will be cut short." (Matthew 24:21-22 NASB)

If one bears in mind that Jesus is talking about two separate and distinct tribulations, the chapter falls into perfect chronological order...the 'Seals' or the persecution of the church (see following note), are followed by the 'Trumpets' and 'Bowls', which are God's judgment on humanity. It is entirely possible that the spilling of the blood of believers is, in a manner of speaking, the spark which sets off the fire of God's wrath. Certainly, the opening of the Sixth Seal signifies the beginning of the Great Tribulation, symbolized by the Seven Trumpets.

Note: What is also not often realized is that the Seven Seals (Revelation 6-7) exactly parallel the Olivet Discourse (Matthew 24). In other words, both sections of Scripture include, in the same sequence, both the events leading up to, and the actual tribulation or persecution of the church (in which Christians will be hated, betrayed and killed). Both then talk about the 'Great Tribulation' of God's wrath, a period of time such as the world has never seen). However, the subject is too long to go into here. [For details see The Seven Seals and Matthew 24 in which Matthew 24 has been analyzed one verse at a time]

In other words, the last days outpouring of God's Spirit in Joel 2 will take place after the persecution of the church and somewhere around the start of the Great Tribulation.

And the purpose of this outpouring?


The Early and Latter Rains
The Bible makes several references to the 'early' and 'late' rains. for example:

"...that He will give the rain for your land in its season, the early and late rain, that you may gather in your grain and your new wine and your oil." (Deuteronomy 11:14 NASB)

"They do not say in their heart, 'Let us now fear the Lord our God, Who gives rain in its season, Both the autumn rain and the spring rain, Who keeps for us The appointed weeks of the harvest.'" (Jeremiah 5:24 NASB)

"So rejoice, O sons of Zion, And be glad in the Lord your God; For He has given you the early rain for your vindication. And He has poured down for you the rain, The early and latter rain as before." (Joel 2:23 NASB)

"Therefore be patient, brethren, until the coming of the Lord. The farmer waits for the precious produce of the soil, being patient about it, until it gets the early and late rains." (James 5:7 NASB)

Both these seasons of rain had a very specific contribution to make towards a successful harvest. The early rain fell late in the year, beginning somewhere around mid or late October, after the seed was sown. These rains, which continued on through the winter, the showers gradually getting further and further apart, enabled the grains (probably wheat and barley) to germinate. Fine weather usually ensued early in the year.

The, much lighter, late rains fell in March and April, when the ears were filling. These rains matured and ripened the grain for harvest.

The Early And Latter Rain were a "Type"
The Early Rain
In this case, the ultimate fulfillment of the early rain was the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost. Although the Holy Spirit was alive, well, and very active in the lives of some of the Old Testament stalwarts, this first 'rain' brought into being a new period when all believers can be transformed by the indwelling Holy Spirit. This by remarkably transforming the disciples who went from a dispirited and rudderless band of men who had just lost their leader, to dynamic preachers and leaders of the Church. Not even the resurrection of Christ had this kind of effect on them. The early rain watered and germinated the seeds that had been sown by Christ's preaching of the Gospel.

The Latter Rain
The latter rain will be a spiritual outpouring of God's Spirit that will serve to bring the 'crop' to maturity and ready for the harvest. This rain will once again usher in a new period...The Millennium.

What Harvest?
The parable of the sower in Matthew 13, tells us that "He that soweth the good seed is the Son of man; and the field is the world; and the good seed, these are the sons of the kingdom". This harvesting in of the "sons of the kingdom" is "the Rapture", when the believers are physically moved away from the earth so that the Bowls can be poured out on the earth.

Until this point the faithful were protected from God's wrath by the mark on their foreheads, when it is time for God to make a final end of the kingdoms of this world, the 'harvest' will be safely standing on the far shore of the Red Sea when the waters come crashing in over the heads of the Egyptian army.

Revelation 14:14-20 makes it clear that this take place at the Seventh Trumpet.

Note that Jesus' words "First gather up the tares and bind them in bundles to burn them up; but gather the wheat into My barn." (Matthew 13:30) indicates the tares are separated and symbolically 'bound' in some way, before the believers are gathered into His barn.
[For Details See That Earth Shaking Seventh Trumpet And The Rapture]


Conclusion
In summary, Hebrew prophecy does tell us that there will be a 'revival', but it will only come after the tribulation and will be a move of God...NOT the church. It will come in the form of one more outpouring of His Spirit, for those that turn to Him during some very dark days.

Joel recorded the Lord telling His people to return to Him with all their hearts... with fasting, weeping and mourning and He would have pity on them. He would remove the northern army, heal the land and restore the years the locusts devoured (Joel 2:12-27). After which He would pour out His Spirit:

"It will come about after this That I will pour out My Spirit on all mankind; And your sons and daughters will prophesy, Your old men will dream dreams, Your young men will see visions. Even on the male and female servants I will pour out My Spirit in those days. I will display wonders in the sky and on the earth, Blood, fire and columns of smoke. The sun will be turned into darkness And the moon into blood Before the great and awesome day of the Lord comes. And it will come about that whoever calls on the name of the Lord Will be delivered; For on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem There will be those who escape, As the Lord has said, Even among the survivors whom the Lord calls." (Joel 2:28-32 NASB)

That Joel was speaking about the last days and the millennium is evident from the twice used phrase "My people will never be put to shame":

"You will have plenty to eat and be satisfied And praise the name of the Lord your God, Who has dealt wondrously with you; Then My people will never be put to shame. Thus you will know that I am in the midst of Israel, And that I am the Lord your God, And there is no other; And My people will never be put to shame." (Joel 2:26-27 NASB)

The remnant of God's people who go through the tribulation and, as Jesus said, "endure to the end" (Matthew 24:13), will cry to the Lord for intervention and for deliverance, and the Lord will answer their cry and save them. As the prophet Hosea said:

"He will revive us after two days; He will raise us up on the third day, that we may live before Him. So let us know, let us press on to know the Lord. His going forth is as certain as the dawn; And He will come to us like the rain, Like the spring rain watering the earth." (Hosea 6:2-3 NASB)

There is, unfortunately, one additional point to be made...


The End Time "Falling Away"

2 Thessalonians 2:3 says:

"Let no one in any way deceive you, for it will not come unless the apostasy comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction." (NASB)

Note that the King James version renders the word apostasy as "falling away", which, very obviously, is one of the most telling signs of the beginning of the end of days. [See What Signs Herald The End Of The Age]. However, about this end time apostasy, Apologetics Index says [Emphasis Added] (Note that I am simply using their words as an example of what much of the Christian world thinks):

"We are warned that the deception that is to come will be so difficult to discern, even those who genuinely love the Lord might be deceived... a ''great falling away of those who have professed to be Christians'' has been predicted and will certainly happen." [5]

They, quite correctly, state that, just as predicted, apostasy will most certainly overtake much of the church. However, their words make it sound like the apostasy is yet to happen in the future, if not the distant future.

The Great Apostasy Is Already Here, And Very Well Disguised
Time to wake up?

This falling away isn't coming at some vague point in time in the hereafter. It's already here.

While I suppose that it possible that the apostasy can get worse, universal deception is already pretty firmly entrenched. Not only is most of the world, already prostate before one or another antichrist [See Antichrists and The Antichrist], but Christianity is already at an all time low, scraping the bottom of the barrel as it were. Today's fad driven church has turned aside so far from what the Scriptures say, to be unworthy to bear the name Christian. In vast numbers, Christians are, according to their own lusts, heaping up for themselves teachers who tickle their ears (2 Timothy 4:3).

The reason the apostasy has been so ill recognized is simply because it has not adhered to most people’s perception of what a "falling away" should look like. Most people probably expected humanity to become less religious and more materialistic - less spiritual and more worldly. While it is true that a large percentage of humanity has indeed become more carnal, a staggering number of people have actually become more spiritual, seeking out 'the divine' in every possible nook and cranny, including within themselves. [See Religious Pluralism]

Jacob Prasch says it well:

"There is no easy way to stop the decline of Christianity in the Western world. It has gone too far for too long. We have been sold down the river by our leaders. All the programs and hype and gimmicks in the world will not bring a harvest of souls. That takes rain. But the rain has stopped." [6]

And the tragedy of the matter is that almost all who the claim of Christ have no idea how dumb, dead, and damned they are. They trip off merrily to their churches, buy books that are supposed to teach them to be all they can be, or become a leader (just how many leaders do we need?), listen to one of many hot shot preachers whose theology is as far removed from the Bible as heaven is from earth, attend yet another in a long line of 'conferences', and retire to their inner sanctums to either roll out their Yoga mats, and/or 'get in touch with themselves'. Embracing and borrowing from other religions, cults and the occult we have truly become the Devil's playground.
[See Good For Nothing Christianity, Grab a Hose and Which Jesus]

Nor, I suspect, do many Christians realize just how close the man of sin is.

The Antichrist is Around The Corner
According to 2 Thessalonians 2:3, the falling away is followed by the unveiling of the man of sin. [See The Antichrist]

The Antichrist is commonly held to be a great and powerful world leader who will, with the willing participation of most of the world, usher in a time of unprecedented worldwide deception. In fact, the Bible indicates that he and his cohorts are going to make every effort to control every facet of our world, even at the cost of the lives of all that oppose him.

Although they are wrong about the details, the New Agers seem to know that he is well on his way and literally breathing down our necks.

The Lucis Trust (formerly Lucifer Publishing Co.), not only enjoys "Consultative Status" with the United Nations, but has spawned many other organizations such as: the Arcane School, Triangles, World Goodwill, Lucis Publishing, Lucis Productions, Lucis Trust Libraries, the New Group of World Servers etc. Last, but far from least, they maintain the UN meditation room.

And the purpose of these groups? At their core ALL of them exist for one purpose: in their words "the helping of the Great Ones and the rendering to them of that intelligent assistance which will make their plans for humanity materialize." This explosion of individuals and organizations (both large and small) are, by means of occult mediation, the Great Invocation etc, actively working towards creating the conditions necessary for the Reappearance of "the Christ". Except that this "Christ" has nothing to do with Jesus Christ of the Bible.
[See Alice Bailey and The Lucis Trust, The Global Alliance, The United Nations]

(If there is any consolation in this very dark time, it is that God has reserved a remnant which has not bowed the knee to Baal)


End Notes

[1] Congregation Shema Yisrael. Last Days Revival or End Time Apostasy?


[2] What Is a Revival? by C. H. Spurgeon. From the December 1866 Sword and Trowel.


[3] Apologetics Index. The Way of Cain - Page 37. New teachings in the Christian Church- Where are They Leading Us?

[4][/B] Congregation Shema Yisrael. Last Days Revival or End Time Apostasy?

[5] Apologetics Index. The Way of Cain - Page 37.

[6] Jacob Prasch. Elijah- A man who could make it rain.