Presbyterian Herald devotes issue to Romanist ‘saint’, Jean Vanier

2 John 1:9-11: “Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son. If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed: For he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evil deeds.”

As increasingly more so-called Protestants and evangelicals grow in (often wilful) ignorance of the false doctrines and hellish deceits of Rome, there is now, more so than ever, a promotion by these alleged Protestants of agents of the papacy.

There are few Romanists more commonly exalted by Protestants than French-Canadian Roman Catholic and friend of the Pope, Jean Vanier (pictured, top), who died in May of this year.

Henri Nouwen is perhaps the only other Romanist, as well as, of course, the Pope, to be so revered by alleged Protestants.

Now, Jean Vanier is credited with helping an immense number of young people with disabilities throughout his life, forming the L’Arche Community in France to create an environment in which those with various special needs could thrive, and such kindness is to be commended.

However, he was a proponent of the false Romanist system of salvation by sacramental merit which damns its adherents to an eternity in hell and to therefore be holding him up as a hero is a very foolish thing to do.

Yet this is exactly what the Presbyterian Church has done in its official publication, the Presbyterian Herald, dedicating its June edition to this man who upheld the erroneous and blasphemous teaching of the Roman Catholic Church until the day he died.

Introducing the June edition of the Presbyterian Herald (of which we have just become aware), its editor Sarah Harding, said: “Last month, Jean Vanier, the founder of the L’Arche organisation, sadly passed away at the age of 90. Vanier left a remarkable legacy in L’Arche – its mission is to support people with learning disabilities and today it has 150 communities, in 38 countries, supporting 3,500 people with day services and residential homes.

“It all began in Paris in 1964, when Vanier welcomed two men with learning disabilities to live in his home – they had been in an asylum and had no family. He had no grand vision then for what this act of kindness would become, just a simple faith in Jesus’ command to love one another, saying, ‘It’s a question of loving people as they are’.

“Living lives full of integrity, authenticity and love seems overwhelmingly difficult, but as Jean Vanier once said, ‘We are not called by God to do extraordinary things, but to do ordinary things with extraordinary love’.”

There is not one mention there that this man, who provides the overarching theme (defined as ‘Extraordinary Love’) for an entire issue of the official publication of the Presbyterian Church, was a devout Romanist. Not one.

It would have been bad enough to have raved about his (undeniably kind) work whilst applying a health warning and pointing out he was relying on and was a proponent of a false, devilish doctrine, but to fail to do so is nothing short of outrageous.

Jean Vanier is held up by so many gullible Protestants as a praiseworthy example, not just because of his charitable work, but because of his so-called ‘Christianity’.

However, Jean Vanier was not a practising Christian, he was a practising Roman Catholic, which is not a Christian religion, but rather a pagan corruption of true Christianity.

Rome denies that Christ’s sacrifice at Calvary was all-sufficient, but rather they teach that Christ must be continually sacrificed again and again in the blasphemous Mass.

This is despite the Scriptures clearly showing that Christ’s sacrifice was once for all.

Romans 5:8-9 says: “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.”

Look at this passage, those who believe on Christ are described as “being now justified”.

It doesn’t say partially justified, it doesnt say might be justified at some point in the future if you fulfil certain sacraments, those who believe are “now justified” by the blood of Christ. There is no uncertainty in that.

Romans 6:8-10 says: “Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him: Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him. For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God.”

We are told here that Christ “died unto sin once”, that he “dieth no more” and “death hath no more dominion over him”.

This shows that Jesus died once and it will not be repeated, nor does He continue to suffer through His offering for sin.

Hebrews 10:12 reaffirms this when it says: “But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God”.

We are told again in 1 Peter 3:22 that Christ is seated at God’s right hand. He is not being offered again and again for sin by any practitioner of Papal priestcraft such as those who Jean Vanier was, sadly, mistakenly placing his faith in.

1 Peter 3:22 says Christ “is gone into heaven, and is on the right hand of God”.

Rome simply refuses to teach that Christ’s sacrifice at Calvary is all-sufficient, yet the Presbyterian Church, in its official publication, is extolling a man who subscribed to this false doctrine.

Indeed, so highly thought of was he that a leading Roman Catholic news website called him a “living saint”.

An article written by that outlet’s editor is headlined: “With the death of Jean Vanier, Catholicism loses a living saint”.

Relaying a previous conversation he had with Vanier, the writer recounts: “When I asked Vanier if Pope John Paul II had become a more powerful symbol for the people he lived and worked with because the aging pontiff was himself, in a sense, “disabled,” Vanier lit up.

“His response was simple and unequivocal: ‘The pope has never been more beautiful than he is right now,’ he said.”

Is the Presbyterian Church happy to exalt a man who considered the Pope, who by his very titles blasphemes God, to be beautiful?

Is the Presbyterian Church happy to exalt a man who adored the Pope, the man who heads up a system which leads its poor deluded adherents to hell?

If anyone reading this is a member of or affiliated with the Presbyterian Church, are you happy that the Presbyterian Church, in its official publication, is exalting a man who believes the Pope is “beautiful”?

This is a man who, despite his good works, was a devotee of the Pope.

Indeed, his good works are the central part of the false Romanist gospel.

Sadly the Presbyterian Church has decided to use him as the basis for an edition for their magazine.

Sadder still, as we previously alluded to, they are far from the only so-called Protestants or leaders at supposedly Christ-exalting churches to do so.

Stuart Bothwell (pictured, above), a leader in Lagan Valley Vineyard, based in Lisburn, County Antrim, took to Twitter the day Jean Vanier died to say: “We lost a giant today. May we never lose his vision”.

Neil Young, lead pastor at Causeway Coast Vineyard, based in Coleraine on Northern Ireland’s north coast, just last week was quoting Jean Vanier on his Twitter page.

The leader of the leaven-filled Alpha Course, Anglican vicar Nicky Gumbel (pictured, below), a high priest of the charismatic movement in the UK, also called Jean Vanier “a living saint” and said it “was an utter privilege” to have met him.

This serves to demonstrate the widespread departure from God’s Word at large in much of today’s professing church.

For many, doctrinal differences, no matter how crucial, matter not one jot.

It doesn’t matter to so many if someone is teaching or relying on a false gospel, as long as they come under the banner of ‘Christian’ then they’re ok.

We are to be so much more discerning than that and we are to “try the spirits” (1 John 4:1).

Would that the Presbyterian Herald would have done so before putting forward a committed Romanist as someone to be admired.

Let us ever be vigilant and dedicated in our own lives to fight for the truth of the gospel and not to be careless in what we are seen to be espousing or supporting.

Let us not muddy the waters by praising those who, while undoubtedly responsible for some good works, ultimately stood upon a false gospel of works-based righteousness.

Let us be ever mindful of the simple requirement placed before the jail keeper in Philippi as to how he might reach heaven. It was simply by faith.

Acts 16:29-31 says: “Then he called for a light, and sprang in, and came trembling, and fell down before Paul and Silas, And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved? And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved”.

If you are as yet outside of Christ or relying on your good works, church attendance, charitable donations or good citizenship to get to heaven, won’t you even come to Christ, the only way to salvation.

John 14:6 says: “Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.”

John 10:9 says: “I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.”

God is “faithful and just to forgive us our sins” (1 John 1:9), if we but come to Him in humble repentance.

2 Peter 3:9 tells us that “The Lord is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.”

Won’t you even come in repentance to Christ today and be saved and spend eternity in heaven with Him?

Ezekiel 18:31-32: “Cast away from you all your transgressions, whereby ye have transgressed; and make you a new heart and a new spirit: for why will ye die, O house of Israel? For I have no pleasure in the death of him that dieth, saith the Lord God: wherefore turn yourselves, and live ye.”