An ecumenical vigil for peace took place in Italy to celebrate the 2024 Week of Christian Unity, in which Roman Catholics, Orthodox, and Seventh-day Adventists participated. This news was published on January 26, 2024, by Corriere Cesenate, the weekly information magazine for the Roman Catholic Diocese of Cesena-Sarsina. The Catholic publication stated that the sole purpose of this gathering was for “Christians” to “return to being one flock according to the will of the Lord.” [1]
A local secular newspaper in Italy also reported on this ecumenical encounter and said that the leaders of five churches—Roman Catholic, Ukrainian Orthodox, Greek Orthodox, Romanian Orthodox, and Seventh-day Adventist—had signed a “unity of purpose” document to “counteract” the forces of “division” and to take “concrete” steps towards “peace.” [2]
The post above is from the Saint Maria Goretti Catholic Church, which provided the program information for the ecumenical event. The advertisement says:
• Week of prayer for Christian unity 18 – 25 January 2024
• Ecumenical Prayer Encounter
• Catholic Church
• Romanian Greek Catholic Parish
• Ukrainian Greek Catholic Parish
• Romanian Orthodox Parish
• Seventh-day Adventist Church• Celebration of the Divine Liturgy of the Romanian Orthodox Church
• Eucharistic Liturgy of the Catholic Church in the Cathedral of Cesena
• Worship Service of the Adventist Christian Church
• Celebration of the Divine Liturgy of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church
• Celebration of the Divine Liturgy of the Romanian Greek Catholic Church• Notice of the End of the Celebration
• From January 18th to 25th is the week of prayer for Christian unity which this year has the title “You will love the Lord your God and your neighbor as yourself.”
• The Christian communities of the area are organizing an ecumenical prayer meeting which will be held on Friday 19 January at 6pm at the Lugaresi church (via Lugaresi 202 Cesena Ponte Vecchio area) and we will be hosted by the Romanian Orthodox community.
• Bishop Douglas of the Catholic Church, the Ukrainian Greek Catholic priest, the Romanian Greek Catholic priest, the Romanian Orthodox priest, and an elder from the Seventh-day Adventist community replacing Pastor Robero Ianno.
• The cheerful moment will follow, which will help us deepen the fraternal relationship between us. You are all invited to this important event which responds to the prayer made by Jesus to his disciples.
• “That they are one so that the world may see.” “That they are one so that the world may believe.”
• Now more than ever we want to accept Jesus’ invitation to remain united in his love. [3]
The most tragic part about these current ecumenical trends is that it is not just one local Adventist church that is doing this. Hope Media Italia, the official media of the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Italy, reported that there were many “initiatives planned in Italy” to celebrate the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity and that many “Adventist churches also participated” in them with Catholics, Orthodox, and Protestants. [4]
This is creating an identity crisis in Adventism, and many have lost sight of what we are supposed to be doing at this critical time in earth’s history. This ecumenical celebration highlighted all the different “divine” liturgies of the differing churches, including Rome’s Eucharist celebration. It is Pope Francis who is calling on all the churches to celebrate the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity. This event aimed to deepen the relationship of the churches with each other in order to create a more visible unity. Not only are Seventh-day Adventists heeding the Pope’s call to deepen their relationships with other faiths, but many are also embracing their Eucharistic ceremonies. These ecumenical exercises are not about embracing the word of God, experiencing repentance, or emphasizing conversion or holiness; no, the ecumenical movement is about participating in Catholic liturgies and sacraments that unite us with Rome.
Our Protestant, historical school of prophetic interpretation established by the founders of the Reformation identified the Papacy as the “beast,” the “little horn,” and the “antichrist.” These same prophetic truths are enshrined in the Three Angels’ Messages of Revelation 14:6–12. Do you know who Babylon is? Do you know who the beast is? Do you know what the mark of the beast is? Do you know how to avoid them? These are God’s themes. These are the true messages that will bring Christian unity. As far as Seventh-day Adventists are concerned, or at least they should be, our strength lies in our faithfulness to teach and practice these messages. “Come out of her (Rome) my people,” so that we can give a faithful witness to the truth of the Gospel (Revelation 18:1–5).
It is foolish and naïve to think that a deeper unity with Rome is even possible without any compromise. What do you think is happening to our distinct Protestant school of prophetic interpretation as we work together with Rome to fulfill its mission of creating a common witness? It becomes abandoned. What happens to the Three Angels’ Messages? Leaders who are misled are putting them in jeopardy.
What about our world-wide commission? What about our solemn duty? What about what God commanded us to do? What about the messages that we are supposed to be proclaiming? Why can’t church leaders today see that we have a theological and prophetic understanding that would make it impossible to work towards unity with Rome? Unity with Rome does not help us fulfill our mission of proclaiming the gospel in the context of Revelation 14 and 18, it hinders it.
“Satan has carried his first great work of deception down through all the ages, and will until the close of time. In antichrist, he has a living agent. When the Christian world shall make void the law of God when church and state are united, when Protestantism shall reach its hands across the gulf to unite with Romanism, allegiance to the law of God will be fully thrown off and the decree will go forth against the people of God. But when men trample on the plainest requirements of God’s word, the prayer will go up to heaven, ‘It is time for thee, Lord to work; for they have made void thy law.’ [Psalm 119:126.] And God will work. Satan will then inspire men, and even professedly Christian men who refused to receive the love of the truth, to accuse and slander those who keep the commandments of God and have the faith of Jesus” (Manuscript, 104, 1893).
Sources
[2] https://www.ilrestodelcarlino.it/cesena/cronaca/chiese-cristiane-appello-comune-per-la-pace-74689839
[4] https://hopemedia.it/ama-il-signore-e-il-tuo-prossimo/
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People are being deceived as the Bible has foretold.
And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh.
Luke 21:28
Are we as individuals ready?
Why Adventists Trust Leaders who are Leading them to Eternal Damnation is Beyond Me! In the 1970’s and 80’s Richard Wurmbrand a Jewish Christian Pastor Romania wrote : ) [ a Letter to the General Conference, because he could not understand it it Either ].
Nothing can help me except your conversion and return to Christ. If you would have gone on a fact-finding tour to
Israel 2,000 years ago, you would have praised the full liberty in the temple with 12,000 priests and
Levites, and the fact that all over the country many synagogues functioned without interference. As
about a Carpenter crucified because He was the only one who represented the true faith, why lose
our time on martyrs of today?
We better spread Ellen White’s books about the martyrs of old. It makes interesting reading and obliges to nothing.
The story of betrayal of Adventists by its leadership is old. I remember the German Adventist leadership shouting, “Hiel Hitler!”
The General Conference collaborated with them, while true Adventists filled jails under Hitler and some of them were beheaded.
The Adventist leadership of Romania today also praises the Communist government. I was at the same time in jail with many Adventists, official
and underground, beaten to the blood because they refused to work on Saturdays. In jail they ate almost nothing, fearing there might be some pork in
the food. In times when we got one slice of bread a day, they gave tithe. They renounced to this bit of bread in favor of somebody who was older, sick, or
weaker.
Ellen White prophesied there will be a great persecution of Sabbath keepers in the USA. Suppose this will happen, will you be on the side of the
Adventist, loyal to their faith, who will worship underground, or will you collaborate with the persecutors as your kin does in Russia?
If I were an Adventist, I would leave the church if you do not get disciplined for the ”grave sin” of having written this article.
The board of your General Conference would have to be dismissed, too, for siding with the Communist stooges in Adventism.
I would also retain my tithes until assured you refunded this holy money which has been misused for such travels and pro-Communist propaganda.
I am sure you would have neither the courtesy or courage to publish this.
Yours in Christ,
(signed)
Richard Wurmbrand
Richard Wurmbrand Letter to General Conference 1985 – Excerpts.
Published 2001 In PDF form 2010 [ Approximately ]
The Lord has pronounced a curse upon those who take from or add to the Scriptures. The great I AM has decided what shall constitute the rule of faith and doctrine, and he has designed that the Bible shall be a household book. The church that holds to the word of God is irreconcilably separated from Rome. Protestants were once thus apart from this great church of apostasy, but they have approached more nearly to her, and are still in the path of reconciliation to the Church of Rome. Rome never changes. Her principles have not altered in the least. She has not lessened the breach between herself and Protestants; they have done all the advancing. But what does this argue for the Protestantism of this day? It is the rejection of Bible truth which makes men approach to infidelity. It is a backsliding church that lessens the distance between itself and the Papacy. – ST February 19, 1894
Have noticed even the small country SDA churches pastors uniting with Catholism often on some kind of Charity event, (a trick!)
Other times having funerals, dinners or other events at their churches, (tricked again by acts of generosity like leaning them their church!)
Think many of them are confused on what Unity is, they clearly want Unity not with their congregations or Revelation 14 & the SOP,
But with Their friends in the Catholic church!!!
Fairly certain we are warned not to unite with the Papacy even if the cause seems good.
The end result is they will partake in Rome’s errors, allow people who don’t have victory over Sin to have influence over them,
and The Full Gospel message is greatly reduced into a love & friendship narrative which is in fact Spiritualism.
Thank you Pastor Roman for sharing the light and sounding the alarm. May God bless you.
Blessings to you too!
But how do sound this trumpet louder ? Our church “we” need to wake and realize that when the lauodicean church is spoken of, ITS YOU AND ME! Adventists , it’s time to wake and rise and stand for God and His Word! ROME IS THE BEAST, how do we teach this, and sign unity agreements?
Adventists, listen…… this is unacceptable! The so called leaders of SDA need to stand up against this and hold true to the truth OR STEP DOWN. We are SEVENTH DAY ADVENTISTS! We do not walk together with those in apostasy! We know the POPE IS ANTICHRIST! ROME IS THE BEAST. We have NOTHING to do with the stooges of Satan! Lord God Almighty will cut you down, You may think His people will fall, but EGW had a train station vision that says SDA will not fall, but you ecumenical leaders will shaken out and never seen again! Repent of your back sliding!
This was predicted by Ellen White. Though I am shocked, I see all Ellen Whites prophecies coming true. Stay strong in your truths!