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For some reason Jeff Maples (the author of this article) does not identify himself on the byline. Perhaps it's not necessary, since we recognize his slash and burn rhetoric.
Once we finish cutting through his hyperbolic outrage, we are left with a couple of obvious questions to ask: Is it possible for Catholics to be Christian? That is, are there saved people in the Catholic church?
These are key questions, to which Mr. Maples would reply no. But of course this is knowledge he cannot possess. But he thinks he does, based on a standard of doctrinal correctness. His Doctrine.
In the below article Mr. Maples will link to another article he wrote as a reference, where he lists the Catholic church's transgressions:
- they reject Jesus as wholly sufficient for the remission of their sins.
- they practice idolatry regularly, through the... physical body and blood of what they believe to be Jesus,
- They practice idolatry through the veneration of Mary and the Saints
- They reject the fellowship of a true, local church that teaches and exposits the Scriptures authoritatively.
- they practice idolatry by putting their faith in their man-made organization, hierarchical priest system, and sacraments for their salvation.
We would agree with Mr. Maples that some of the doctrines of the Catholic church are problematic. But the doctrines of the Catholic church do not speak to the saved status of any Catholic. Nor do these doctrines speak to Matt Maher's salvation. Nor do Mr. Maples' doctrines speak to his own salvation. The highly refined, correct doctrines of a person are not an indicator of salvation.
So we have finally arrived at today's article, that because Matt Maher isn't saved, collaboration isn't allowed. Matt Redman is violating Scripture by making music with Matt Maher. Of course, Matt Redman isn't saved either, so it's all false ecumenical drivel anyway.
Mr. Maples knows. Yes, one thing Mr. Maples is sure about, and will shout from the highest rooftops: Neither of these men are saved. Let the whole world hear that Mr. Maples knows things only God knows.
By the way, our intent is not to defend Matt Maher or Matt Redman, but rather to examine Mr. Maples' presentation.
Two of the most popular artists in Contemporary Christian Music (CCM) are Matt Maher and Matt Redman. The two have produced many popular songs that can be heard in just about any church of any flavor around the world today. Songs like Redman’s Here For You, with references to the charismatic belief of a separate baptism of the Holy Spirit, (Let's quote the lyrics:
Let our praise be Your welcome Let our songs be a sign
We are here for You, we are here for You
Let Your breath come from heaven Fill our hearts with Your life
We are here for You, we are here for You
To You our hearts are open Nothing here is hidden
You are our one desire You alone are holy
Only You are worthy God, let Your fire fall down
Let our shout be Your anthem Your renown fill the skies
We are here for You, we are here for You
Let Your Word move in power Let what's dead come to life
We are here for You, we are here for You
We welcome You with praise We welcome You with praise
Almighty God of love Be welcomed in this place
Let every heart adore Let every soul awake
Almighty God of love Be welcomed in this place
Looking for bogeymen under every rock, Mr. Maples thinks there's some sort of aberrant doctrinal statement in these lyrics. We are guessing as to which ones, since he doesn't bother to tell us. Maybe
Let Your breath come from heaven Fill our hearts with Your lifeThis seems to be the phrase that violates Mr. Maples' doctrine, which can only mean he must be unaware of what the Bible teaches:
Lk. 11:13 If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!
Ep. 5:18 Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit.
and Maher’s Lord I Need You, with references to the Roman Catholic doctrine of infused righteousness (Let's quote the lyrics:
Lord, I come, I confess Bowing here I find my restWithout You I fall apart You're the One that guides my heartLord, I need You, oh, I need You Every hour I need YouMy one defense, my righteousness Oh God, how I need YouWhere sin runs deep Your grace is more Where grace is found is where You areAnd where You are, Lord, I am free Holiness is Christ in meteach my song to rise to You When temptation comes my wayWhen I cannot stand I'll fall on You Jesus, You're my hope and stay.
Mr. Maples' casual reference to "infused righteousness" is apparently nothing more than a smoke screen, because the idea is nowhere found in these utterly conventional lyrics.)
would ring familiar in almost any modern Christian’s ears.
While it may appear that the music popular CCM artists like Maher and Redman glorify God with the production of music that has been so widely accepted by the church, most Christians have no idea the background and agenda of these men. I wrote an article last year entitled Matt Maher is Not Saved, Stop Singing His Music in Church. The article describes Maher’s Roman Catholic background and his alignment with the damning doctrines of the Roman Catholic Church, and why promoting his music in the pews neither does the church, nor Maher himself any favors–let alone glorify the Risen Lord.
Maher and Redman, however, produced a song together, Remembrance, for the purpose of worshiping and having communion together–people from completely different doctrinal backgrounds. In an interview with Family Christian Bookstores, Maher says,
Like Matt Redman and I wrote a song about communion together. He comes from an Anglican or Evangelical background and I came from a Catholic background. We have completely different doctoral[sic] teachings about communion and about the Eucharist. Does that mean that we can’t write a song together about the importance of communion. Or that when Jesus says in the Bible, “Remember me … do this in remembrance of me… that we can’t. What we can say is let’s try to serve the Church with a song that somehow reflects truth and leaves a little bit of room for the mystery of faith.
Maher is correct that he and Redman have completely different doctrinal teachings about communion and the Eucharist. The Roman Catholic teaching is blasphemous and idolatrous–God hates it. Further, and more importantly, what Maher failed to say is that he and Redman also have completely different doctrinal teachings on salvation. In fact, Maher’s church anathematizes any, like Redman, who claim to believe in salvation by grace alone through faith alone. (One one hand Mr. Maples doesn't like Matt Redman because he believes false doctrine, yet defends him because of his correct doctrine on a key salvation matter, grace through faith. This is very curious.)
While it may appear that the music popular CCM artists like Maher and Redman glorify God with the production of music that has been so widely accepted by the church, most Christians have no idea the background and agenda of these men. I wrote an article last year entitled Matt Maher is Not Saved, Stop Singing His Music in Church. The article describes Maher’s Roman Catholic background and his alignment with the damning doctrines of the Roman Catholic Church, and why promoting his music in the pews neither does the church, nor Maher himself any favors–let alone glorify the Risen Lord.
Maher and Redman, however, produced a song together, Remembrance, for the purpose of worshiping and having communion together–people from completely different doctrinal backgrounds. In an interview with Family Christian Bookstores, Maher says,
Like Matt Redman and I wrote a song about communion together. He comes from an Anglican or Evangelical background and I came from a Catholic background. We have completely different doctoral[sic] teachings about communion and about the Eucharist. Does that mean that we can’t write a song together about the importance of communion. Or that when Jesus says in the Bible, “Remember me … do this in remembrance of me… that we can’t. What we can say is let’s try to serve the Church with a song that somehow reflects truth and leaves a little bit of room for the mystery of faith.
Maher is correct that he and Redman have completely different doctrinal teachings about communion and the Eucharist. The Roman Catholic teaching is blasphemous and idolatrous–God hates it. Further, and more importantly, what Maher failed to say is that he and Redman also have completely different doctrinal teachings on salvation. In fact, Maher’s church anathematizes any, like Redman, who claim to believe in salvation by grace alone through faith alone. (One one hand Mr. Maples doesn't like Matt Redman because he believes false doctrine, yet defends him because of his correct doctrine on a key salvation matter, grace through faith. This is very curious.)
The Roman Catholic Church explicitly denies Matt Redman’s supposed “evangelical” beliefs in the Council of Trent which is held to be one of the most important councils in the history of the RCC.
Throughout the day Roman Catholic speakers will bring messages to the young people gathered there, and at the conclusion of the day Cardinal Vincent Nichols will lead everyone in a time of Adoration i.e. the Mass. None of this is unusual, or worthy of special comment for it what we would expect at a Roman Catholic event. This issue which attracts our attention on this occasion is the presence of a leading Contemporary Christian Music artist, Matt Redman.
And Redman promoted the event on his own Twitter account.
Sadly, Redman is neck deep into the false belief system that doctrine doesn’t matter as long as you can set that aside and hold hands and sing together. (Does Mr. Maples know that Matt Redman doesn't think doctrine is important?)
- Canon 12. “If any one saith, that justifying faith is nothing else but confidence in the divine mercy which remits sins for Christ’s sake; or, that this confidence alone is that whereby we are justified; let him be anathema.”
- Canon 24. “If any one saith, that the justice received is not preserved and also increased before God through good works; but that the said works are merely the fruits and signs of Justification obtained, but not a cause of the increase thereof; let him be anathema.”
- Canon 30. “If any one saith, that, after the grace of Justification has been received, to every penitent sinner the guilt is remitted, and the debt of eternal punishment is blotted out in such wise, that there remains not any debt of temporal punishment to be discharged either in this world, or in the next in Purgatory, before the entrance to the kingdom of heaven can be opened (to him); let him be anathema.”
- Canon 32. “If any one saith, that the good works of one that is justified are in such manner the gifts of God, as that they are not also the good merits of him that is justified; or, that the said justified, by the good works which he performs through the grace of God and the merit of Jesus Christ, whose living member he is, does not truly merit increase of grace, eternal life, and the attainment of that eternal life, …and also an increase of glory; let him be anathema.”
Throughout the day Roman Catholic speakers will bring messages to the young people gathered there, and at the conclusion of the day Cardinal Vincent Nichols will lead everyone in a time of Adoration i.e. the Mass. None of this is unusual, or worthy of special comment for it what we would expect at a Roman Catholic event. This issue which attracts our attention on this occasion is the presence of a leading Contemporary Christian Music artist, Matt Redman.
And Redman promoted the event on his own Twitter account.
Sadly, Redman is neck deep into the false belief system that doctrine doesn’t matter as long as you can set that aside and hold hands and sing together. (Does Mr. Maples know that Matt Redman doesn't think doctrine is important?)
Matt Redman was interviewed by Tony Cummings and said,
You’ve got Catholics there, you’ve got high church Anglican, you’ve got house churches, Baptists, Methodists and no one even cares. Denominations don’t even register on anyone’s radar. They are all there centering around God. It’s great.
Yes, Matt. That is great. We’re so glad that God’s truth doesn’t matter in your world, (Which is not what Matt Redman said.)
You’ve got Catholics there, you’ve got high church Anglican, you’ve got house churches, Baptists, Methodists and no one even cares. Denominations don’t even register on anyone’s radar. They are all there centering around God. It’s great.
Yes, Matt. That is great. We’re so glad that God’s truth doesn’t matter in your world, (Which is not what Matt Redman said.)
and we’re so glad that your millions of followers are being taught to have a shallow understanding of God and center their worship around their emotions and personal experiences instead of God’s truth. (We are noting Mr. Maples' gradual abandonment of civil commentary as he begins throwing around loose and undocumented accusations.)
Cummings then posed the following to Redman:
I remember interviewing David Watson and he was one of the key figures in the development of charismatic renewal within the Anglican church and I was quizzing him about Catholics on his platform and that kind of thing and he had a very simple rationale. He said anybody who confesses faith in Christ in sincerity and isn’t simply using Christian profession but actually meaning something else – like a cult might do – should be accepted as a Christian. It’s not for him to argue the finer points of doctrine with them.
To which Redman responded:
I’ve got a friend in America called Matt Maher and he wrote a song called “Your Grace Is Enough” which Chris Tomlin recorded and that song has been sung all over the world. But Matt is a Catholic guy, full-on. It’s funny isn’t it? Some people would think that “Your Grace Is Enough” is probably the most unlikely title to come from a Catholic guy. But that is what God is doing in the Church. It’s a unity thing and unity comes when you all look in one direction, doesn’t it? Worship is always going to be a very unifying thing. The moment we take our eyes off all these differences between us and we look in one direction, towards the Son of God, worship is going to unify.
But the unity is false. It isn’t around the true God or Jesus of the Bible, and Matt Redman is putting up with it “readily enough.”
For if someone comes and proclaims another Jesus than the one we proclaimed, or if you receive a different spirit from the one you received, or if you accept a different gospel from the one you accepted, you put up with it readily enough. – 2 Corinthians 11:4
The Scriptures teach that unifying with unbelievers and those who proclaim a false Gospel is an abomination to God. (This may be true, but Mr. Maples doesn't document it. Further, who is proclaiming a false gospel, and what did they say that is false? Mr. Maples continues to throw around undocumented pronouncements.)
I remember interviewing David Watson and he was one of the key figures in the development of charismatic renewal within the Anglican church and I was quizzing him about Catholics on his platform and that kind of thing and he had a very simple rationale. He said anybody who confesses faith in Christ in sincerity and isn’t simply using Christian profession but actually meaning something else – like a cult might do – should be accepted as a Christian. It’s not for him to argue the finer points of doctrine with them.
To which Redman responded:
I’ve got a friend in America called Matt Maher and he wrote a song called “Your Grace Is Enough” which Chris Tomlin recorded and that song has been sung all over the world. But Matt is a Catholic guy, full-on. It’s funny isn’t it? Some people would think that “Your Grace Is Enough” is probably the most unlikely title to come from a Catholic guy. But that is what God is doing in the Church. It’s a unity thing and unity comes when you all look in one direction, doesn’t it? Worship is always going to be a very unifying thing. The moment we take our eyes off all these differences between us and we look in one direction, towards the Son of God, worship is going to unify.
But the unity is false. It isn’t around the true God or Jesus of the Bible, and Matt Redman is putting up with it “readily enough.”
For if someone comes and proclaims another Jesus than the one we proclaimed, or if you receive a different spirit from the one you received, or if you accept a different gospel from the one you accepted, you put up with it readily enough. – 2 Corinthians 11:4
The Scriptures teach that unifying with unbelievers and those who proclaim a false Gospel is an abomination to God. (This may be true, but Mr. Maples doesn't document it. Further, who is proclaiming a false gospel, and what did they say that is false? Mr. Maples continues to throw around undocumented pronouncements.)
Roman Catholics are idolaters. Roman Catholics bear the name of brother. 1 Corinthians 5:11 commands us not to even eat with such people as it gives a false impression of their acceptance into the body of Christ and it compromises the truth of the Gospel. (Let's quote the verse:
1Co. 5:11 But now I am writing to you that you must not associate with anyone who calls himself a brother but is sexually immoral or greedy, an idolater or a slanderer, a drunkard or a swindler. With such a man do not even eat.
The author has yet to demonstrate that the provisions of this Scripture apply to Matt Maher.)
Redman has chosen to be unequally yoked with unbelievers (2 Corinthians 2:14) (?? Mr. Maples doesn't think Matt Redman is saved. How is it possible he is unequally yoked?)
instead of, as commanded in Scripture, exposing their unfruitful works to the light of God’s word (Ephesians 5:11). Matt Redman has chosen to align himself with the doctrineless and fruitless works of darkness masquerading as members of the church deceiving himself and others (2 Corinthians 11:13-15).
Matt Redman and his Catholic counterpart, Matt Maher, are leading millions of people astray–into the outer depths of darkness. Their ecumenical alliance is not glorifying to God. Jesus Christ and His truth is the foundation of the church and if that is set aside to build a divided house, it will not stand (Mark 3:25). To know God is to love Him, and you cannot know Him without knowing His revealed truth found in Scripture alone. Holding hands and singing songs with those who do not know God is not what biblical unity in the body of Christ is. We are to avoid those who hold to a false doctrine because it is they that cause divisions.
I appeal to you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and create obstacles contrary to the doctrine that you have been taught; avoid them. –Romans 16:17
If you truly want unity in the body of Christ, separate from those, like Roman Catholics, who hold to a false Gospel and proclaim a false Jesus. Stop holding hands with false converts. Stop setting aside sound doctrine for warm fuzzy feelings with apostates. And stop anathematizing the few out there who are willing to stand up and contend for the faith that was once and for all delivered to the saints. (In other words, unity is possible only if someone 100% agrees with your doctrines...)
I question if hell can find a more fitting instrument within its infernal lake than the Church of Rome is for the cause of mischief. And your church will in its measure, be the same if bereft of the Spirit. — Charles Spurgeon
Matt Redman and his Catholic counterpart, Matt Maher, are leading millions of people astray–into the outer depths of darkness. Their ecumenical alliance is not glorifying to God. Jesus Christ and His truth is the foundation of the church and if that is set aside to build a divided house, it will not stand (Mark 3:25). To know God is to love Him, and you cannot know Him without knowing His revealed truth found in Scripture alone. Holding hands and singing songs with those who do not know God is not what biblical unity in the body of Christ is. We are to avoid those who hold to a false doctrine because it is they that cause divisions.
I appeal to you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and create obstacles contrary to the doctrine that you have been taught; avoid them. –Romans 16:17
If you truly want unity in the body of Christ, separate from those, like Roman Catholics, who hold to a false Gospel and proclaim a false Jesus. Stop holding hands with false converts. Stop setting aside sound doctrine for warm fuzzy feelings with apostates. And stop anathematizing the few out there who are willing to stand up and contend for the faith that was once and for all delivered to the saints. (In other words, unity is possible only if someone 100% agrees with your doctrines...)
I question if hell can find a more fitting instrument within its infernal lake than the Church of Rome is for the cause of mischief. And your church will in its measure, be the same if bereft of the Spirit. — Charles Spurgeon
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