THE DANGER OF ECUMENICAL SOCIAL PROJECTS

THE DANGER OF ECUMENICAL SOCIAL PROJECTS

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May 23, 1999 (David Cloud, Fundamental Baptist Information Service, P.O. Box 610368, Port Huron, MI 48061-0368, fbns@wayoflife.org) - The Bible instructs Christians to separate from those who teach and follow false doctrine (Romans 16:17; 1 Tim. 6:3-5; 2 Tim. 2:16-18, etc.). Ecumenical socio-political endeavors ignore these biblical commands, but in doing so they fly in the face of God’s warnings about the danger of fellowshipping with error. Consider the following warnings:

"Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump?" (1 Cor. 5:6).
"Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners" (1 Cor. 15:33).
"And their word will eat as doth a canker…" (2 Tim. 2:17).
"…by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple" (Rom. 16:18).

The Bible frequently warns of the deceptive character of false teachers. They are clever, manipulative, subtle, and sneaky.

"come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves" (Mt. 7:15)
"deceive many" (Mt. 24:4,5,11,24)
"deceitful workers" (2 Cor. 11:13)
"false brethren unawares brought in, who came in privily" (Gal. 2:4)
"cunning craftiness" (Eph. 4:14)
"seducing spirits" (1 Tim. 4:1)
"speaking lies in hypocrisy" (1 Tim. 4:2)
"who creep into houses" (2 Tim. 3:6)
"seducers ... deceiving and being deceived (2 Tim. 3:13)
"feigned words" (2 Pet. 2:2)
"many deceivers are entered into the world" (2 Jn. 7)
"certain men crept in unawares" (Jude 4)
"seducers" (Rev. 2:20)

Organizations such as Focus on the Family, Operation Rescue, and the Christian Coalition, which create trans-denominational participation in projects designed to "bring America back to God" are extremely dangerous from a spiritual and doctrinal perspective. They refuse to practice separation from doctrinal error and false gospels, therefore they gravely endanger the participants.

I have seen frequent examples of this in the anti-abortion arena.

For example, at the large ecumenical conference in Indianapolis in August 1990, which I attended with press credentials, Catholic priest Michael Scanlan told of his experiences in ecumenical anti-abortion demonstrations. He described how he and a group of other Catholic and Protestant demonstrators were arrested and jailed for several days. They were incarcerated together in a barracks of some sort, and during this time the priest conducted Mass each day and led the group in praying the Rosary, which largely is a prayer to Mary. The priest testified excitedly that some of the Protestants adopted the Rosary permanently into their own private devotions! This is the danger of fellowshipping with error. "Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners" (1 Cor. 15:33).

A more recent example of this came to my attention late last year. It is the case of Norma McCorvey, who was the anonymous "Jane Roe" in the infamous Roe vs. Wade Supreme Court case in 1970 whereby America’s abortion laws were wickedly overturned. In the 1980s McCorvey revealed herself in interviews and admitted that her Jane Roe story that she had been impregnated through a rape was a complete lie. In fact, she did not even have an abortion. Her out-of-wedlock baby was given up for adoption. In 1995, McCorvey underwent a highly publicized Christian conversion experience through the instrumentality of Operation Rescue leader Philip Benham. She was baptized, joined an Evangelical church of some sort, and began working for Operation Rescue. Through her anti-abortion labor, McCorvey met many Roman Catholics and even attended Catholic Masses. When in April 1998 she attended a Mass conducted by Frank Pavone, head of Priests for Life, she said that she felt powerfully moved toward the Catholic Church. The mystical experience reminded her of Masses she enjoyed as a child. She said she "felt serene, safe." McCorvey also met many Charismatics and heard of their alleged revelations and experiences. Thus it is not surprising that she made her final commitment to the Catholic Church through "messages from the Lord saying, ‘My child, I want you to come home to my church’" ("Roe of noted case becomes a Catholic," Philadelphia Inquirer, Nov. 12, 1998).

"Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners" (1 Cor. 15:33).