Adventist Prime Minister Marape with Pope Francis and at the Pope’s Sunday Mass.
“Protestantism shall stretch her hand across the gulf to grasp the hand of the Roman power.” The Great Controversy, p. 588.
How far down the path of ecumenism will we go? Will we now run into the open arms of Pope Francis, who is waiting to welcome us home? What course will we follow if God commands us to preach about the beast, the image, and the mark? Rather than rushing to Rome’s Sunday Eucharistic Mass, shouldn’t we be teaching everyone, Catholics and Protestants alike, about God’s last message of mercy?
After meeting with President Ted Wilson five months ago, Adventist Prime Minister James Marape last week praised Pope Francis, expressed a deep gratitude to the Pope, asserted that Francis is promoting the teachings of Jesus Christ, and even attended his “holy” Sunday Eucharistic Mass. According to official church sources, James Marape is a Seventh-day Adventist who is also the Prime Minister of Papua New Guinea (PNG). [1]
On Sunday, September 8, 2024, Pope Francis presided over a Mass at the Sir John Guise Stadium in Port Moresby, the capital of Papua New Guinea, as part of his 12-day tour of the Asia-Pacific region. More than 35,000 people attended the Sunday Eucharistic Mass celebrated by the Pope, including James Marape, the Prime Minister of Papua New Guinea, who is a Seventh-day Adventist, and who was photographed sitting in the front row during the “papal holy mass.” [2]
Prime Minister Marape participates in the Papal Sunday mass.
The Adventist Prime Minister showered Pope Francis with praise and expressed gratitude for his message of peace and unity, stating that it is precisely what our country needs. The Prime Minister expressed the following:
• “We attended a mass gathering of youth at the Sir John Guise Stadium with the Pope in the yesterday morning and saw the Head of Vatican off at the airport at about 12pm,” said PM Marape.” [3]
• “PM Marape highlighted: “The Pontiff’s core message of unity, tolerance, forgiveness, peace, love, care for one and other including lifting up our fallen brother or sister, and environmental stewardship is relevant, timely and very much needed today.” [3]
• “The Pope’s message has resonated very well with our people and for our country, it was simple yet profound,” said PM Marape.” [3]
• “Prime Minister Marape continued that he was grateful for the papal visit has come at the right time to remind the people of Papua New Guinea of basic societal values of living together as one people, as PNG heads into celebrating its 49 Independence anniversary.” [3]
• “He said: ‘I want to express my greatest appreciation on behalf of the people of Papua New Guinea, especially the Catholic faithful, to Pope Francis for visiting our country’.” [3]
• “I felt the Pope, with his global standing and spiritual leadership, would strengthen our people with his words of wisdom and help to prepare us for our 16 September Independence anniversary, said PM Marape.” [3]
• “These are the same message I have been driving in my own conversations with our people, and as I farewell him, I want to echo it and thank him again for it,” said PM Marape.” [3]
• “Prime Minister Marape also conveyed his appreciation to Papua New Guineans for putting on an exemplary reception for the Pope over the weekend with peace and quiet attitude of self-reflection, and no trouble.” [3]
• “The Prime Minister said the theme of this year’s Independence anniversary will reflect the papal visit and message. It will center on Reconciliation, National Unity, and Respect of the Rule of Law.” [3]
• “As the Pope leaves us and we head over the week into our 49th anniversary, our nation must ponder on the Pontiff’s message of unity, peace and love.” [3]
• “He concluded that the Pontiff is heading to Timor Leste to continue his world tour of spreading the teachings of Jesus Christ of love and peace.” [3]
Protestants do not praise the Pope for his “world tour” in spreading the “teaching of Jesus Christ” because of serious theological differences between Protestantism and Roman Catholics. Protestants believe in the principle of Sola Scriptura, which holds that the Bible is the ultimate authority in all matters of faith and practice. Additionally, Protestants are supposed to reject the concept of the Papacy, which states that the Pope has spiritual and temporal authority over all people and must be obeyed. These and many other differences have led to a division and a great gulf between the two denominations that cannot be closed.
“There is as great a difference in our faith and that of nominal professors, as the heavens are higher than the earth.” (Spiritual Gifts, Vol. 2, p. 299).
Center: Ted Wilson is standing next to Prime Minister Marape in PNG on April 30, 2024. [4]
Will Ted Wilson publicly denounce this act of reverence to the man of sin? Will Prime Minister James Marape be canceled by him and the General Conference as well? Or will they play politics and only ban those who reprove sin and call our people to repentance? It is true that a prime minister serves as a representative of all citizens, including those of different religions. However, our members do not have to praise the Pope and tell everyone that Rome’s message is what the modern world needs today. Tragically, God’s clear instructions are being rejected today:
“In the very time in which we live, the Lord has called His people and has given them a message to bear. He has called them to expose the wickedness of the man of sin … The thirteenth chapter of Revelation presents a power that is to be made prominent in these last days” (Manuscript Release, Vol. 18, p. 33).
We have been raised up as a people to undo the damage done to God’s law by the Papal power of prophecy:
“The Lord has a special message for His ambassadors to bear. They are to give the people the warning, calling upon them to repair the breach that has been made by the Papacy in the law of God” (Evangelism, 225).
Is it any wonder that in the final struggle against the principalities of darkness and the enemies of present truth, the laity must take the lead and not wait for leaders? Is it not becoming increasingly clear that the final work will consist of a movement led primarily by laypeople, together with a few faithful pastors, who will simply follow God’s instructions? God’s faithful servants will not sit back and allow the spirit of Protestantism to be torn down.
Praise God, not everyone is going to be wondering after the beast. The protest must continue. As the world prepares to join Rome’s one-world universal fraternity, we must be part of the Great Protest of Revelation 14 and 18. The Lord is depending not on great numbers but on the faithful few to finish up his work and cut it short in righteousness.
Sources
[1] https://jmunion.org/adventist-named-prime-minister-of-papua-new-guinea/
[2] https://info.gov.pg/thousands-gather-for-papal-holy-mass/
[3] https://www.thepngsun.com/farewell-pope-francis-pm-marape/
0
0
0
Certainly would have been a better look if the PNG PM had said nothing at all.
I will never shake hand with this mere person(pope) who blasphemes my GOD!
The leaders in the Seventh Day Adventist Church are setting aside the Word of God for the favor of the world. If they ever come to their senses hopefully it is not going to be to late.