I learned recently that there are "pastors" who are implementing Catholic doctrine and practices in the protestant churches, in an attempt to join with the Catholic church without actually telling their congregations that it is happening.
There have been two testimonies lately that this is happening, but it shouldn't be a big surprise, the holidays that began in the Catholic church, that is Easter, Christmas and Halloween, are widely practiced by most protestant and non-denominational churches today. Some are even introducing these churches to the "advent wreath" that is a leader to Lent.
The problem is that most Christians today don't know their Bibles and they don't know what is wrong about the Catholic church, so they are going to slide right into the deception with ease.
Ritual that was widely rejected by "Evangelicals" and Reform churches are going back to the very system that they ran from so many years ago.
When our culture is more invested in feelings than facts, they will argue to preserve the traditions that are not Biblical but that make everyone "feel spiritual."
Truth is not the goal of many gatherings today, only pleasure, feelings of euphoria and happiness.
1 Thessalonians 5:21
"21 but test everything; hold fast what is good."
The church hierarchy is not the authority on truth, God is the authority, Christ lives in believers and enlightens those who search the Bible for their truth.
Do not fall into the trap that leadership dictates principles and practice, they do not, it is Christ Who set them down, preserving them in His Word forever.
1 Peter 1:24-25 "…24 For, “All flesh is like grass, and all its glory like the flowers of the field; the grass withers and the flowers fall, 25 but the word of the Lord stands forever.” And this is the word that was proclaimed to you."
The Catholic system as all of the cults are false systems, distractions of the devil that will lead many to hell.
Keeping our focus on Christ will keep us from becoming stuck in victim mode when we have been treated shamefully. It is alright to tell the truth about what we have been through, even evaluating it to gain wisdom about it, but we cannot make the perpetrators the focus so much as the lessons learned. The perp has won when they are on our minds more than Christ and more than healing.
Christ didn't keep his mind on those who rejected Him, He was squarely fixated on His mission here, that was to come and preach the gospel of hope and die for the sins of the world.
Colossians 3:2-10
"2 Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth.
3 For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God.
4 When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory.
5 Therefore consider the members of your earthly body as dead to immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed, which amounts to idolatry.
6 For it is because of these things that the wrath of God will come upon the sons of disobedience,
7 and in them you also once walked, when you were living in them.
8 But now you also, put them all aside: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and abusive speech from your mouth.
9 Do not lie to one another, since you laid aside the old self with its evil practices,
10 and have put on the new self who is being renewed to a true knowledge according to the image of the One who created him."
I write a lot about narcissism and the tricks of their trade, the purpose is to know the schemes of the devil and learn God's power to live for Him in spite of the attacks.
It is never valuable to live in victim mode all our lives. It is powerful to move forward with Christ and our spiritual healing and growth, never allowing the past to have control over us.
If anyone had a reason to refuse to go to the cross to pay for the sins of mankind, Christ did. He had a mission, no matter how He was treated His gaze was stayed on what He came to do, no one debilitated Him from His goal. Just as we must stay focused on what God gave us to do, without wavering, leaving behind those who do not want to walk the path with us.
Hallelujah!!!!
