An article in the November issue of Charisma Magazine talks about a Swedish Charismatic Pastor by the name of Ulf Ekman who is calling for unity under the Pope. The full article is here, but I will give you some excerpts from that article, and comment on them. I must let you know that I am a former Roman Catholic, who was delivered from the deception of that religious system, and I have been warning people for years about this call for a unity under the Pope. Here is an excerpt from that Charisma magazine article:
In recent years, the prominent pastor of Word of Life in Uppsala has been associating increasingly with Catholic leaders, and introducing his followers to Catholic and Orthodox theology, in particular through his teaching magazine, Keryx. Yet Ekman insists he is not adopting Catholicism but simply broadening his theology and promoting a “unity of the heart.” “God has spoken to me as powerfully concerning unity as He did concerning the faith message,” Ekman told Charisma. “With secularism and Islam taking over in Europe, revival slogans won’t suffice. The need of the hour is a powerful, effective unity including the historical churches.”
Pastor Ekman has been introducing his followers to Catholic, and Orthodox theology in his teaching magazine, which means that his followers are now being taught the theology of Rome. The article does not mention specifically what teachings Ekman was bringing to his followers, but some of the mainstream Catholic theology has to do with the Roman Catholic Mass, the prayers to Mary and her own “sinlessness,” purgatory, prayers to the dead, and for the dead, and many other false doctrines.
Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come. (John 16:13)
That is what the Bible teaches us regarding the ministry of the Holy Spirit.
Be careful when you hear someone say that “God has spoken to me.” Make sure that you examine the statement against the Word of God. Pastor Ekman mentioned secularism and Islam taking over in Europe, but that does not mean that the Church is called to unite with “historical churches” to fight against that, if those same churches are also preaching falsehood. The Lord will never call upon his children to join with any system that teaches false doctrine, to combat those who are in a different false system or theology. The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of truth, and He is the one who called me and millions of others, out from the demonic system known as Roman Catholicism. I assure you that it is not the Spirit of the Lord who is calling Pastor Ekman to unite with them.
Viewing the Roman Catholic Church as the “whore of Babylon” is “untenable,” he added. “With so much apostasy and denying of fundamental truths among Protestants, even in Pentecostal and charismatic churches, who are we to point fingers at the Catholics?” Ekman said. “The whore is present in all denominations. But then again the body of Christ is also in all denominations and certainly in the Catholic Church.”
Ekman’s views are being welcomed by many Swedish church leaders as interest in Catholic and orthodox spirituality, Catholic pilgrimages and monastery like retreats grow rapidly in Pentecostal and Charismatic circles. . . .
Others are deeply worried. In April and October evangelicals gathered in Örebro, Sweden’s evangelical center, to point out that to Catholics unity always meant, and still means, bowing to the pope. Arborelius seemed to affirm that view, saying: “We cannot bypass the personal wish of Jesus that all unity must relate to the apostle Peter,” that is, to the papal office.
I thank God that there are still some Christians who stand up for truth and speak out when they see that demonic serpent of false unity rearing it’s ugly head. They have every right to be alarmed, and they are right on when they say that “Catholic unity always meant and still means, bowing to the Pope.“
Did you catch those words from the Roman Catholic Bishop Anders Aborelius who seemed to affirm their very concerns! Read it again:”We cannot bypass the personal wish of Jesus that all unity must relate to the apostle Peter,” that is, to the papal office.” What? Folks this is absolute spiritual insanity! The Roman Catholic Bishop of Sweden, Anders Aborelius is telling us that it is the personal wish of Jesus that all unity must relate to Peter, meaning the Papal office with the Pope in charge and control of the church. Oh for people to rise up in this present day against this system of falsehood.
Listen to these words from Leonard Ravenhill, the powerful street evangelist from England, in his book “Why Revival Tarries.
“Evangelists today are wide-eyed to the might of Communism, but tight lipped at the menace of Romanism. America would shake from coast to coast in twenty-four hours if some preacher, anointed with the Holy Ghost, gave the Roman Catholic Church a broadside! We stir national interest against the cruel, half-civilized Mau Mau (wicked enough), but powwow with, and pander to, the Roman Catholic Church! These priests who dope mens souls,these idolatrous “masses,” these Calvary eclipsing prayers to Mary, these miserable millions cheated in life and in death by the greatest forgery Lucifer ever made.” (Why Revival Tarries by Leonard Ravenhill, Bethany House Publishers, 1988, Copyright 1959)
Whoa! Does that sound like a call to Christian unity under the Pope? I hardly think so. Although that book was written nearly fifty years ago, the words still stand as true today as when Leonard Ravenhill first spoke them. There have been surface changes made in the Roman Catholic system but their doctrines remain exactly the same as they have for centuries. Here is another excerpt from that Charisma magazine article:
A Lutheran priest before he planted his independent charismatic church, Ekman often sparred with his former denomination in the 1980s and 1990s because of his prosperity message. But in 2007, Ekman preached at the Oasis Pentecost Conference, and in 2008 he was a guest of honor at the Oasis Summer Conference, taking a seat on the platform during the sermon of the event’s most renowned speaker—the pope’s “personal preacher,” Franciscan monk Raniero Cantalamessa.
Ekman has also invited Arborelius to a “night of exchange” at Word of Life, intentionally not confronting him with controversial questions and hugging him as a brother in Christ. “My heart is to do away with prejudices,” Ekman said. “We need to discover and recognize each other. Unity begins at heart, not with theology.”
Ekman said he does not feel “under obligation” to address the theological issues dividing Catholics and Protestants—”that is not where we are at.” But supporters and critics alike interpret Ekman’s new thrust in theological terms.
Sirens should be sounding in your heart, after reading that, if you are a genuine born again believer in Jesus Christ. Ekman hugging the Roman Catholic bishop as a brother in Christ, and telling us all that UNITY begins in the heart and not with theology. Ekman said that he did not feel under obligation to address theological issues dividing Catholics and Protestants. Huh? Is that not the job of the shepherd and leader of every church congregation?
The apostle Paul warned his fellow believers over and over about false teachers and doctrines of devils.
And now, behold, I know that ye all, among whom I have gone preaching the kingdom of God, shall see my face no more. Wherefore I take you to record this day, that I am pure from the blood of all men. For I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God. Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood. For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock. Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them. Therefore watch, and remember, that by the space of three years I ceased not to warn every one night and day with tears. (Acts 20:25-31)
The Holy Spirit spoke through the apostle Paul in his first letter to Timothy regarding Christians who would depart from the faith as a result of false teachers:
Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; (1 Timothy 4:1)
All believers must take the warnings in the Bible to heart, and they are there for that very reason. Paul wrote those words almost two thousand years ago, and the false doctrines have been multiplied many times over!
Particularly upsetting to many critics is Ekman’s involvement with the Ostanback monastery, located an hours drive west of Uppsala. Though nominally Lutheran, the monastery’s leader, Abbot Caesarius Cavallin, is an ardent advocate for uniting all Christians under the pope, and he publicly refers to Ekman as a “pillar of support.”
The Holy Ghost sirens are sounding once again. Folks it is high time for all Christians to stand up for truth. The reformers of old were put to death for standing against the false system of Rome. They were burned at the stake for defending the Gospel, and they made it possible for everyday people like you and me to have a Bible in our hands. Do not be deceived by what is happening around the world with this false and bogus unity. Do not be impressed with people in the pulpit, no matter how big their church is, and no matter how big their “name” is either. Pastor Ulf Ekman is certainly not alone in his compromise with the system of Roman Catholicism. Many well known people such as Billy Graham, Pat Robertson and Charles Colson are among the more famous who have compromised with Rome. I encourage my fellow Christians to keep your guard up, and your eyes opened wide, as this Satanic False Unity gathers momentum. Remember the words of our faithful brother in Christ which he spoke before he died:
I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing. (2 Timothy 4:7-8)
