From  THE  PROTESTANT  CHALLENGE,  the  voice  of the 
Canadian  Protestant  League, Box 813, London, Ontario, 
Canada N6A4Z3, Reprinted by permission.

Strange  and  startling things are happening within the 
ranks  of Christendom today. Multitudes of well-meaning 
people,  even  among  those  groups  long recognized as 
strong  Evangelicals,  are  being  swept  along  with a 
seemingly  irresistible  power towards reunion with the 
Roman     Catholic    Church,    Under    the    subtle 
misapprehension   that   an  unprecedented  revival  is 
taking  place  in  our  time, thousands of good pastors 
are leading their flocks back to a pre-
Reformation association with the Vatican.

"Nonsense," I hear some exclaim.

  But  before we turn this contention off as being wild 
and  irresponsible,  let  us take a few moments just to 
look at some very sobering facts.

  Let  us  remember  that  the  very heart of the great 
Reformation  of the 16th century was the rediscovery of 
the  Bible  doctrine.  of  Justification by Faith. This 
vital  truth  sets  forth  the  solid  ground  for  the 
assurance  of the believing individual's salvation--not 
by  works  of  of human merit or ecstatic feelings, but 
by  the  perfect  righteousness of God in Christ put as 
the  result  of  personal  faith  to the account of the 
penitent   believer,   Here  was  the  real  basis  for 
separation  from  Rome  whose theology taught salvation 
which  had  in  a  multitude  of ways to he earned. But 
today  many  of  the  movements  of  evangelicalism are 
minimizing  the  Scriptural security of being justified 
by  faith  alone,  and  are  emphasizing  a  subjective 
experience  of  salvation similar in principle to Roman 
Catholicism, 

  That  which is being called the "Charismatic Renewal" 
caters    to    the    fleshly   hunger   for   unusual 
manifestations   and   feelings,   featuring  what  are 
purported  to  be  the  gifts  of the Holy Spirit. Most 
popular  of  these "gifts" seems to be that of speaking 
in unknown tongues.

  Since  the turn of the twentieth century, the segment 
of  Christians  majoring  in the gift of tongues as the 
indispensable  sign  of  the baptism of the Holy Spirit 
has   made   tremendous   strides.  But  the  place  of 
advancement  has  been  greatly accelerating during the 
past  decade  in almost every country of the earth. So, 
today,  the  numbers  of  those  associating  with  the 
Pentecostal emphasis has reached up into the millions.

  The most significant development has been seen in the 
spectacular  leap  over  all  of  the  major Protestant 
denominational   walls.   Thus   outside  of  the  vast 
Pentecostal  body there are to be counted multitudes of 
members  of  the  traditional churches claiming to have 
received  the  charismatic experience of "tongues". Now 
the  main  thrust of our position in this connection is 
not  to  make  a  studied  appraisal of the validity of 
"gifts  of  tongues"  but  rather to show the confusion 
which  has  resulted  to sound faith when it is assumed 
that  every  person  or  group  claiming  to  speak  in 
tongues is genuinely "baptized in the Holy Spirit".

  For  instance,  this  enthusiasm which has taken hold 
upon  the hearts and minds of so many pastors and their 
people   included   large   elements  which  have  long 
discarded  the  great  fundamentals  of  the  Christian 
Faith--the  authority of the Holy Scriptures, the Deity 
of   Christ,   His   Blood   atonement,   His  physical 
resurrection,  and  the  truth  of  Salvation  by grace 
through  faith. Evidently, the spiritual vacuum created 
by   Modernism   has   found  the  subjective  personal 
experience  of the Charismatic Renewal a substitute for 
the  eternal  truths  they  have rejected. They are, in 
effect,  saying  that human feelings and demonstrations 
are much more important than faith.

  Perhaps, however, the most astounding area into which 
the  "Charisma"  is  making almost unbelievable inroads 
is  the  Roman Catholic Church. Here, literally tens of 
thousands  are  professing  to  receive the Pentecostal 
tongues  experience.  This includes Cardinals, Bishops, 
multitudes  of  priests and nuns, and uncounted numbers 
of the faith.

  What  is  the  meaning  of  all this anyway? Does it, 
indeed,  mark the beginning of the greatest revival the 
world  has ever seen? Is it God's answer to the prayers 
of  the  redeemed  of  the  centuries,  "Wilt  Thou not 
revive  us  again that Thy people may rejoice in Thee?" 
Clearly,  there  are  many  church  leaders  and  their 
people  who  are  confidently affirming that it is even 
so.

  But  before we permit ourselves to become too excited 
and  elated,  it  would  be  well  to take a second and 
third  look  at  what  is happening. Is the Holy Spirit 
actually   shedding   gifts  abroad  upon  all  nominal 
Christians  regardless  of their Theological positions? 
Without  consideration of one's views concerning Christ 
and  His  way  of salvation, does the blessed Spirit of 
God  enter,  fill, control, baptize, and use the bodies 
of  those who remain in spiritual rebellion? As we read 
the   New   Testament,  we  are  convinced  beyond  any 
peradventure  of  doubt  that  our Sovereign Lord never 
puts  His  stamp of approval upon unbelief, which would 
make Him out to be a liar.

  One  has  a  right to assume that if a Roman Catholic 
has  had  a  genuine  experience of living faith in our 
Lord  Jesus  Christ  and has felt the touch of the Holy 
Spirit  upon  his  life,  he would be led at least to a 
definite  dissatisfaction  with  the  unbiblical Romish 
traditions.  But,  evidently,  this  is  not  so.  Says 
Father   O'Connor,   Benedictine  Monk  of  Notre  Dame 
University,  "The  traditional  devotions of the church 
have  taken  on  more  meaning.  Some  people have been 
brought  back  to  a  frequent  use of the sacrament of 
Penance through the experience of the baptism of the
Spirit,  Others have discovered a place for devotion to 
Mary  in  their  lives whereas previously they had been 
indifferent  or  even  antipathetic towards her. One of 
the  most  striking effects of the Holy Spirit's action 
has  been  to  stir up devotion to the Real Presence in 
the Eucharist."

  The  argument  that  we make is that the Bible, being 
the  Word  of God, constitutes the final and infallible 
authority  for  all  faith and practice. Therefore, any 
so-called  gift  (charisma) purporting to come from God 
must  be  fully in accord with Holy Writ. Clearly then, 
that  which  encourages  the recipient of the "gift" to 
return  to  and cleave more faithfully to the doctrines 
which  are  plainly  contrary to Scripture cannot be of 
God.

   In   view   of   the  expressed  conviction  of  our 
Pentecostal  friends  that  the  gift of tongues is the 
divine   signification   of  the  truth  and  power  of 
Almighty  God,  it  is,  perhaps, not too surprising to 
find  these Charismatic brethren making ever increasing 
overtures  to  the  Roman  Church. For instance, within 
the   Province  of  Quebec  there  have  been  frequent 
rallies   involving  Roman  Catholic  Pentecostals  and 
those who have prided themselves as being Protestants.

  This  is  not a "Revolt" element within the Church of 
Rome,  as  some  have suggested. But we have to bear in 
mind  that this movement has the hearty approval of the 
clergy.   They   see   that   this   movement  has  the 
possibility  for  a  speedy  unification of Protestants 
and  Catholics  in a great Charismatic fellowship. They 
believe  that herein lies the best hope for the healing 
of   the   wound   caused   by  the  sixteenth  century 
Reformation.  One  of  their top leaders has said, "The 
instinctive   orientation   of   revivals  towards  the 
Catholic   position   would   bring   in   that  way  a 
reconciliation  between the Protestant Movement and the 
Church".

  With  all  of  this  in  mind,  a  most important and 
significant  conference  was  recently held between the 
top  brass  of  the  Pentecostals  of Protestantism and 
those in Rome.

  As  we view this contemporary religious confusion, it 
appears,  nevertheless, as clearly as the light of day, 
that  Evangelical  Protestantism is moving rapidly away 
from  the  truth  and  liberty  of the Reformation. The 
spirit   of  Anti-Christ  has  temporarily  seized  the 
initiative,  having deceived a multitude of sincere and 
enthusiastic  Bible  believers into the acceptance of a 
pseudo   spirituality   which  assumes  almost  without 
question,  as  genuine, that which is too often a false 
charisma.

  Now is, indeed, the time for all God's people to take 
a  fresh  stand  for  the Faith once delivered unto the 
saints.

  We  suggest to all pastors and their people a restudy 
of the Bible doctrine of Justification by faith.

  We  recommend  a  sober reconsideration of the nature 
and  place  of  the  gifts  of  the  Holy Spirit in the 
Christian's experience and in the local church.

  We  strongly  urge  that every concerned believer use 
his  influence  within  his  congregation  against  his 
church's  Romeward  trend.  If  need  be,  let  him  be 
prepared  to  withdraw  from any religious organization 
which  would  involve  him,  a  against  his  will,  in 
joining  hands  with  the Vatican, "Babylon, the great, 
Mother   of   Harlots".  Obey  the  Divine  command  of 
Revelation  18:4,  "Come out of her, my people, that ye 
be.  not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not 
of her plagues".

  Finally,  rejoice that our Sovereign Lord is still on 
the  throne  and in control of things. We will have the 
last  and  triumphant  word.  If you have Him, you have 
all  that  you  can possibly need both for time and for 
all  eternity,  If you have the Holy Spirit, you may be 
sure  of  this  truth  that He will not glorify Himself 
but  the  blessed, risen Son of God, and will not under 
any  circumstances  promote  nor  approve of a Movement 
which  is  patently  contrary  to the plain teaching of 
that Biblical Word which He Himself had authored.


                 Mission to Catholics
                    P.O. Box 19280
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                         USA