By now you are probably aware that on Monday Pope Francis was in Jerusalem visiting “holy sites.” One of those was the al-Aqsa mosque, reputed to be the third holiest site in Islam. While there in the “mosque compound, the Pope urged people of all religions to ‘work together for justice and peace.'”

You should also know that:

Known to Muslims as the Haram al-Sharif (Noble Sanctuary) and Jews as the Temple Mount, the status of the site is one of the most contentious issues in the Israel-Palestinian conflict .

Pope Francis took off his shoes to enter the Dome of the Rock, from where Islamic tradition says the Prophet Muhammad ascended to heaven. The Pope then walked to the nearby al-Aqsa Mosque. (source)

In addition, according to Nicole Winfield and Aron Heller of the Associated Press:

Pope Francis on Monday urged his “brother” Muslims to never abuse God’s name through violence as he opened the third and final day of his Mideast pilgrimage with a visit to the Dome of the Rock, the iconic shrine located at the third-holiest spot in Islam…

Speaking to the grand mufti of Jerusalem and other Muslim authorities, Francis deviated from his prepared remarks to refer not just to his “dear friends” but “dear brothers.” (source)

Some might be taken by surprise as Pope Francis called devout Muslims his “dear brothers.” However, I already showed you in the 2009 Apprising Ministries piece that Roman Catholic Church And Islam Really Do Worship The Same God. The following I took directly from the official Vatican website just moments ago.

It’s from the document Nostra Aerate, “the Declaration on the Relation of the [Roman Catholic] Church to Non-Christian Religions, which was Proclaimed by His Holiness Pope Paul VI – October 28, 1965.” The Church of Rome proudly tells us that:

3. The [Roman Catholic] Church regards with esteem also the Moslems. They adore the one God, living and subsisting in Himself; merciful and all- powerful, the Creator of heaven and earth,(5) who has spoken to men; they take pains to submit wholeheartedly to even His inscrutable decrees, just as Abraham, with whom the faith of Islam takes pleasure in linking itself, submitted to God. Though they do not acknowledge Jesus as God, they revere Him as a prophet. They also honor Mary, His virgin Mother; at times they even call on her with devotion. In addition, they await the day of judgment when God will render their deserts to all those who have been raised up from the dead. Finally, they value the moral life and worship God especially through prayer, almsgiving and fasting.

Since in the course of centuries not a few quarrels and hostilities have arisen between Christians and Moslems, this sacred synod urges all to forget the past and to work sincerely for mutual understanding and to preserve as well as to promote together for the benefit of all mankind social justice and moral welfare, as well as peace and freedom.

4. As the sacred synod searches into the mystery of the Church, it remembers the bond that spiritually ties the people of the New Covenant to Abraham’s stock.

Thus the Church of Christ acknowledges that, according to God’s saving design, the beginnings of her faith and her election are found already among the Patriarchs, Moses and the prophets. She professes that all who believe in Christ-Abraham’s sons according to faith (6)-are included in the same Patriarch’s call, and likewise that the salvation of the [Roman Catholic]Church is mysteriously foreshadowed by the chosen people’s exodus from the land of bondage. The Church, therefore, cannot forget that she received the revelation of the Old Testament through the people with whom God in His inexpressible mercy concluded the Ancient Covenant. Nor can she forget that she draws sustenance from the root of that well-cultivated olive tree onto which have been grafted the wild shoots, the Gentiles.(7) Indeed, the [Roman Catholic] Church believes that by His cross Christ, Our Peace, reconciled Jews and Gentiles. making both one in Himself.(8) (source, emphasis mine).

Now we must ask, does this even remotely sound like the true Gospel? Or is it in reality a capitulation in order to be careful not to upset anyone? Is this man-pleasing and timorous tripe issued from a so-called Vicar of Christ a bold stand like that of Christ Jesus; one willing to be found among those which are persecuted for righteousness’ sake (cf. Matthew 5:10), or is it actually trying to live in “peace” with another religon at the expense of the Truth?

The time has come where we really need to help people see that words like these could never have been uttered by a true Vicar of Christ; of course, there’s only one Vicar of Christ right now anyway—God the Holy Spirit. ((Former Roman Catholic priest Richard Bennett looks at the corrupt teaching of the Roman Catholic Church on this subject and contrasts it with what the Bible teaches about the Vicar of Christ here: http://www.bereanbeacon.org/article/sorted/01_On_Catholicism/Who_is_the_Vicar_of_Christ.pdf, accessed 5/28/14.)) With this all in mind then, there’s little doubt that Pope Francis was not referring to the Muslim Mufti as merely a brother in Adam; but rather, he meant it in the sense of fellow believer in the God of Abraham. ((It’s a common fallacy that Islam is to be considered an Abrahamic faith. However, as I pointed out recently in WF Preacher Brian Houston Says Christians Serve Same God As Muslims, Islam cannot be an Abrahamic faith because Allah, the god of Islam, is nothing at all like the Biblical revelation of the only God there is.))

Let’s look again at the wording of Nostra Aerate when it says of the false world religion of Islam, “They adore the one God, living and subsisting in Himself; merciful and all- powerful, the Creator of heaven and east…and [they] worship God especially through prayer, almsgiving and fasting.” That’s pretty clear from the alleged infallible Vicar of Christ and supposedly supreme bishop of all Christians everywhere. ((The Roman Catholic encyclopedia New Advent informs us the Church of Rome sees its pope as holding “the office of Supreme Head conferred on St. Peter, [with] the perpetuity of this office in the person of the Roman pontiff, the pope’s jurisdiction over the faithful, and his supreme authority to define in all questions of faith and morals“: http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/12260a.htm, accessed 5/28/14.

And when the Roman pope defines a doctrine touching in faith and morals he is thought by the Roman Catholic Church to do so with infallibility: http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/07790a.htm, accessed 5/28/14.))

However, God the Holy Spirit already told us that unbelievers who reject the Deity of Christ are —pagans [who] sacrifice [what] they offer to demons and not to God. I do not want you to be participants with demons (1 Corinthians 10:20). Yet the Roman Catholic Church says in contradistinction that Muslims “adore the one God.” Does that sound familiar?

It should if you’re familiar with something that was known as the King’s Way (KW) document; ((A Google search for the king’s way document reveals there was quite a bit written about KW at the time: http://bit.ly/1itIOtr, accessed 5/28/14.)) even though Rick Warrem Says No King’s Way Document And No Saddleback “Staff” Involved. ((The Orange County Register published what it claimed were excerpts from KW here: http://www.ocregister.com/articles/document-344001-put-excerpts.html, accessed 5/28/14.)) Yet the confusion really began to grow a couple of years ago when I actually brought you a small section from what I was personally told by reporter Jim Hinch ((Hinch broke this story in the Orange County Register: http://www.ocregister.com/articles/muslims-341669-warren-saddleback.html, accessed 5/28/14.)) was the KW document.

You may recall the below quote from KW, concerning evangelical Christians and Muslims whom Hinch shared with me met together at Saddleback Church to unveil KW, and which I placed in Apprising Ministries Exclusive On Rick Warren, Jim Hinch, And Islam:

I. WHO: we believe in ONE GOD:

1. God is one (Mark 12:29; Muhammed 47:19)

2. God is the Creator (Genesis 1:1; Al Shura 42:11)

This photo is alleged to have been taken at this KW meeting:

In any event, you might remember the original In the Name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful A Common Word between Us and You document a few years ago, which says:

It is part of the very foundational principles of both faiths: love of the One God, and love of the neighbour. These principles are found over and over again in the sacred texts of Islam and Christianity. The Unity of God, the necessity of love for Him, and the necessity of love of the neighbour is thus the common ground between Islam and Christianity. (source)

Now compare the Christian response to the above that Rick Warren himself actually signed. You’ll see it also, at least, implies that Islam is an Abrahamic faith believing in the same God a la the alleged KW document:

A Common Word Between Us and You identifies some core common ground between Christianity and Islam which lies at the heart of our respective faiths as well as at the heart of the most ancient Abrahamic faith, Judaism…in responding to your letter, we ask forgiveness of the All-Merciful One and of the Muslim community around the world…

We applaud that A Common Word Between Us and You stresses so insistently the unique devotion to one God, indeed the love of God, as the primary duty of every believer… (source)

Well, be all of that as it may, we do know for a fact that not long ago we saw Rick Warren on the Roman Catholic EWTN Network where he said that Pope Francis was “our new Pope” and that:

Pope Francis is the perfect example of [1 Corinthians 9:20-23]. He is doing everything right. You see, people will listen to what we say, if they like what they see. And as our new Pope he was very, very symbolic in his first Mass with people with AIDS. His kissing of this deformed man, his loving the children, this authenticity, this humility, the caring for the poor; this is what the whole world expects Christians to do.

And when they go, “Oh, that’s what a Christian does.” In fact, there was a headline here in Orange County—and I loved the headline—I saved it. It said, “If you love Pope Francis, you’ll love Jesus.” ((From transcript in Rick Warren on the Roman Catholic EWTN Network.))

So, here’s Rick Warren, Keynote Speaker For SBC’s Pastor’s 2014 Conference, just a few weeks ago on a very influential Roman Catholic network calling the head of the apostate Roman Catholic Church “our pope,” telling us what a “perfect example” he is, and saying Pope Francis “is doing everything right.” Not only that, but we have also seen Rick Warren Endorsing Catholics Come Home, which is all about luring people away from the historic orthodox Christian faith and into the Roman Catholic Church. All of this is rather odd for a prominent Protestant pastor, wouldn’t you say? ((Yet in spite of this apostasy on the part of Rick Warren, the SBC has not rebuked him, but rather, has chosen to reward Warren with a prime spot to further influence its pastors at their upcoming pastor’s conference.I offer this is yet another reason why the SBC is suffering from a mortal wound.))

Here’s an important question: Are we now to understand that Rick Warren also considers Muslims as brothers adoring the one God right in lockstep with the supposed perfect example of his pope whom he thinks is doing everything right? As I get set to close this out, for now, I remind you of the Future Outpouring “Prophecy” Of Beth Moore, where quasi-elder Beth Moore tells us about a coming wave of the Spirit that will bring unity; and also how Tony Palmer And Charismatics Are Embracing Pope Francis’ Call For Unity. Based upon all that I’ve brought together for you here we have real reason to wonder just how far this “unity” is going to extend.

For you see, if Rick Warren wants us to follow the example of “our” Pope Francis, then remember that on some level the Church of Rome sees itself as the savior of all mankind. ((Section 845 of the official Catechism of the Catholic Church states, “Outside the Church there is no salvation“: http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0015/_P2,9.HTM, accessed 5/28/14.)) And in the end, its doctrine of salvation comes close to Christian Universalism ((This article gives you a good working knowledge of this erroneous doctrine: http://carm.org/christian-universalism, accessed 5/28/14.)) as people can be saved and not even realize it. ((http://www.zenit.org/en/articles/nonbelievers-too-can-be-saved-says-pope, accessed 5/28/14.)) Now I’m not saying that I believe this necessarily, but I do find myself wondering, are we about to see something coming via deceitful spirits (cf. 1 Timothy 4:1) that could lead charismaniacs and contemplatives right on into a Global Religion that would eventually be headed up by the Antichrist?

Further reading

• ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH, ISLAM, AND GOD
• SOUTHERN BAPTISTS ASSIST THE ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH TO INFILTRATE EVANGELICALISM
• JIM WALLIS AND SOJOURNERS MAKING MUSLIM-CHRISTIANS