Pope Francis again said, “Proselytism among Christians, therefore, in itself, is a grave sin.” The pope was being interviewed by Stefania Falasca from Avvenire, the official newspaper of the Italian Bishops’ conference. She asked him questions about the opposition to his document Amoris Laetitia among some of his cardinals. The four cardinals have formally presented notice of their dubia, or “doubts” about his conclusions that seemed to open the door for divorced Catholics that have been civilly remarried to take communion. They may follow up with a “formal act of correction” of the Roman Pontiff. Pope Francis fired back suggesting they are legalists.
The pope said Christian unity is “a Path,” that despite theological differences there is a “practical ecumenism” in which Christians work together on social problems. Unity, he said, is walking together, and for this reason “every form of proselytism among Christians is sinful.”
In other words, the declaration of Revelation 18:4 to “come out of her, my people,” which must be given by God’s true people is offensive to God. If you try to win a Roman Catholic away from Roman Catholicism, you are not only rejecting the spirit of ecumenism, but you are sinning against God. The pope knows that he can say this because in the end, ecumenism will gain the support of all the churches for Romanism. This will truly isolate God’s true people who will be despised because they remain aloof from Romanism and the ecumenical movement.
The pope quoted Pope Benedict XVI who also said “Proselytism among Christians, therefore, in itself, is a grave sin.”
“Why?” Asked the journalist.
“Because it contradicts the very dynamic of how to become and to remain Christian,” Francis said.
In other words, a person is not a Christian if he tries to win other Christians to his faith.
The pope is taking aim at soul winning. He is aiming to prevent God’s people from doing the very work they are called to do. This is against the scripture, which describes the Catholic Church as the beast and a wicked woman. Those who remain in her will become partakers of her sins and her punishment. Therefore, they have to be called out into God’s truth.
“And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues.” Revelation 18:4.