A Word to the Wise on Benedict XVI

I am hesitant to write this today but sense that I must. Jesus, Himself, warned us,

"I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves. Be on your guard against men; they will hand you over to the local councils and flog you in their synagogues." Matt 10:16-18 NIV

The press has been quite prolific this week in writing about the new pope, the former Joseph Ratzinger. Most have joined in the throngs in lauding him and extolling his virtues, prophesying about his reign as the sovereign of the church. Some have criticized him and vilified him because he is a conservative who stands firmly behind the beliefs of his religion. I believe that he has much potential to do good in the world regarding the poor and oppressed, the unborn and the undefended. But I also believe he has just as much potential to do harm for the "non-Catholic" churched adn missionaries in Latin America.

It is reported that "Benedict took a cue from John Paul when he pledged Wednesday to work for unity among Christians and to seek "an open and sincere dialogue" with other faiths." AP April 21, 2005

However, we must be wise and vigilant and recognize as one commentator put it,
"Here's a newsflash: The pope is Catholic"

Being Catholic there are certain beliefs that he holds which are contrary to what we, as evangelicals, believe and even to what the Word of God says.

As Ratzinger, Benedict wrote a paper entitled "DOMINUS IESUS" in 2000. Please read carefully the following quotes from these document.

Point 16. "The Catholic faithful are required to profess that there is an historical continuity rooted in the apostolic succession 53 between the Church founded by Christ and the Catholic Church: "This is the single Church of Christ... Which our Saviour, after his resurrection, entrusted to Peter's pastoral care (cf. Jn 21:17), commissioning him and the other Apostles to extend and rule her (cf. Mt 28:18ff.), erected for all ages as 'the pillar and mainstay of the truth' (1 Tim 3:15). This Church, constituted and organized as a society in the present world, subsists in [subsistit in] the Catholic Church, governed by the Successor of Peter and by the Bishops in communion with him".54 With the expression subsistit in, the Second Vatican Council sought to harmonize two doctrinal statements: on the one hand, that the Church of Christ, despite the divisions which exist among Christians, continues to exist fully only in the Catholic Church, and on the other hand, that "outside of her structure, many elements can be found of sanctification and truth",55 that is, in those Churches and ecclesial communities which are not yet in full communion with the Catholic Church.56 But with respect to these, it needs to be stated that "they derive their efficacy from the very fullness of grace and truth entrusted to the Catholic Church"

He is stating here that the Catholic church is the only true church and that all other churches - Methodist, Baptist, Pentecostal, etc. - exist only because the Catholic church exists and that all, even though they are not yet in full communion with this one true church (there is somethign scary about that "yet"), are effective only because of the Catholic church.

Futher on, Ratzinger writes,
Point 17 Therefore, there exists a single Church of Christ, which subsists in the Catholic Church, governed by the Successor of Peter and by the Bishops in communion with him.58 The Churches which, while not existing in perfect communion with the Catholic Church, remain united to her by means of the closest bonds, that is, by apostolic succession and a valid Eucharist, are true particular Churches.59 Therefore, the Church of Christ is present and operative also in these Churches, even though they lack full communion with the Catholic Church, since they do not accept the Catholic doctrine of the Primacy, which, according to the will of God, the Bishop of Rome objectively has and exercises over the entire Church.

Again, Ratzinger states that there is only one church and the rest of us are fortunate to be around.

He continues,
60 On the other hand, the ecclesial communities which have not preserved the valid Episcopate and the genuine and integral substance of the Eucharistic mystery,61 are not Churches in the proper sense; however, those who are baptized in these communities are, by Baptism, incorporated in Christ and thus are in a certain communion, albeit imperfect, with the Church.62 Baptism in fact tends per se toward the full development of life in Christ, through the integral profession of faith, the Eucharist, and full communion in the Church.

If we don't do it their way, we are not churches in the proper sense. The comments concerning baptism are based on the Catholic belief that, "Baptism is necessary for salvation. Baptism effects the remission of original sin and actual sins and of all punishment due to sin;" A belief not held by most evangelicals.

Ratzinger continues.

65 "Therefore, these separated Churches and communities as such, though we believe they suffer from defects, have by no means been deprived of significance and importance in the mystery of salvation. For the spirit of Christ has not refrained from using them as means of salvation which derive their efficacy from the very fullness of grace and truth entrusted to the Catholic Church".

All other churches, outside the Catholic church, are defective. Though they can be used as a means of salvation, they are able to do so only through the grace and mercy entrusted to the Catholic church.

Ratzinger concludes,

If it is true that the followers of other religions can receive divine grace, it is also certain that objectively speaking they are in a gravely deficient situation in comparison with those who, in the Church, have the fullness of the means of salvation.

He is not even certain that salvation is available outside of his belief system. But if it is possible to receive salvation outside his church then those who are thusly saved are in a gravely deficient situation.

Do not be deceived brethren, this leopard will not change his spots. As I have mentioned before,(Pope John Paul II ) Benedict's predecessor was antagonist to evangelicals in Latin America. Here are excepts from an article from the Associated Press out of Mexico City.

Latin America's church confronts widespread poverty, dramatic inequality, lingering prejudice against the hemisphere's original inhabitants and the rise of Protestant competitors.

Polls throughout the region show that many Catholics ignore church teachings on issues such as birth control. Yet, especially among the poor, the church is losing ground to Evangelical Protestant groups that are often stricter about personal behavior than are Catholics.

Gutierrez said weak religious education is what leads many Catholics ``to emigrate to other religious confessions.''

Efforts to compete with the numerous Protestant pastors are made difficult by the lack of priests. Poverty in Latin America Faces Pope Wednesday April 20, 2005 9:01 PM By John Rice Associated Press Writer

Benedict XVI may be scholarly, jovial, quick witted and media-wise but he is first and foremost Catholic. In Latin America, in particular, that means that we, as evangelicals, are the enemy to be routed by "reevangelizing".

Understand me very clearly in this. I know that God loves all men but I also know through Jesus' example that He has little tolerance for men who cause others to stumble through the multiplication of man-made laws which have little to do with His Word or work in the earth.

Jesus had compassion on the common man. But he railed against the abuses by the Jewish hierarchy of these "little ones". Ponder this, who has replaced the Pharisees and Saducees in our day by adding, unnecessarily, to the burden of the Lord? Didn't He say,

"For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." Matt 11:30 NIV

Pray! Pray for the leadership of the Catholic church, that they will hear the Spirit as He grieves over the masses. Pray for denominational and non-denominational leaders worldwide that they will not lean on their own understanding but listen to Him who is speaking. As the writer of Hebrews as told us,

"See to it, brothers, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin's deceitfulness. We have come to share in Christ if we hold firmly till the end the confidence we had at first. As has just been said:
"Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as you did in the rebellion." Heb 3:12-15 NIV