Billy Graham: "There's so much that we have in common (with the Roman Catholic church)."

Posted by Christine Pack

On Brannon Howse's 1/16/12 Worldview Radio show, host Brannon Howse discussed how he slowly, over time, came to the shocking realization that the revered and well regarded pastor Billy Graham had strong ties to the Roman Catholic church, as well as some startling views on the exclusivity of Christ in salvation. From his upcoming book Religious Trojan Horse:

"Hosting a national radio program five days a week for many years allows me to hear from lots of people that called in to the program, as well as from those that email me. For many years, I wrongfully ignored the warnings that many people would send concerning the need to look into Billy Graham's history. To be honest, I just did not want to believe that the man that I'd watched on television since the age of 3 had chinks in his armor.....Perhaps even now, you as you read this chapter, you're feeling the same way I once did. If so, I completely understand. However, I finally came to the point where I knew that the importance of the gospel, and the protection of the gospel, must outweigh my personal feelings. In other words, I must be committed to biblical principles above personalities." (Brannon Howse, Religious Trojan Horse)

Howse's guest Chris Pinto, a former Roman Catholic, explains that linking with Roman Catholics simply must not be done. Yes, the Roman Catholic Church teaches about God and Jesus and the Cross and Salvation, but they also add to the finished work of Christ on the Cross by requiring works of their adherents. This is no small thing. In the book of Galatians, Paul rebuked as Peter for allowing the Judaizers to add the "works" of circumcision and law-keeping as additional requirements for salvation.

“When I saw that they were not acting in line with the truth of the gospel, I said to Cephas (Peter) in front of them all, 'You are a Jew, yet you live like a Gentile and not like a Jew. How is it, then, that you force Gentiles to follow Jewish customs? We who are Jews by birth and not sinful Gentiles know that a person is not justified by the works of the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ. So we, too, have put our faith in Christ Jesus that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law, because by the works of the law no one will be justified.'” (Galatians 2:14-16)

What the "circumcision party" did in this passage was heresy, but let's not just nod and embrace this truth as we read scripture without understanding that this same heresy is alive and well today. This heresy of Faith + Works is at the heart of the Roman Catholic Church and what it teaches, and this is why we must not link to them. True, born again believers know that salvation comes by faith alone through grace alone in Christ alone. There is no additional work that can be added or must be done for salvation.

“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast.” (Ephesians 2:8-10)

Now, does this mean that the Christian simply gets a Get Into Heaven free pass by claiming belief in Christ, and then will continue to live in unrepentant immorality? No, the books of James and Galatians (among others) address these fallacies of "decisional regeneration" and "easy believism." A true born again believer who is in-dwelt by the Holy Spirit will bear good fruit, will put away the sins of their former life, and will become more and more conformed to the image of Christ over time. But these actions will flow out of a heart overwhelmed with thankfulness at God's great mercy in salvation, and will be empowered by the Holy Spirit. A true born again believer does not grudgingly put away sin and do good works, as if drinking down bad medicine. Yes, there is a battle with the flesh, but it is a battle. Sin is never truly enjoyed by the regenerated Christian: it is fought against and agonized about and prayed over and repented of. Is this a sad, torturous existence, with the believer looking sadly back at his old "fun" life and doing what he "should" do instead? No, in fact it is a joy and an honor to strive to know God's precepts and pray for God's grace and enabling power to live a righteous life. It is not bad medicine grudgingly drunk down so as to get the benefit of heaven. Good works flow from a heart that is overjoyed to be reconciled to a high and holy God, and thankful for his Word which show us what a righteous life looks like that we might strive for that mark by the power of the Holy Spirit. This is sort of a nutshell view of the biblical view of salvation and the Christian's life, but this is not the Roman Catholic view of salvation, which comes through Faith in Jesus PLUS confession, going to mass, doing good works, etc., etc., etc.

So with that in mind, please listen to this important Worldview Radio program, which includes audio clips of Billy Graham discussing his affection for the Roman Catholic Church, and seemingly displaying little, if any, understanding that the Catholic church teaches "another gospel." Some partially transcribed clips from this show include the following:

Billy Graham: "They (the Roman Catholic Church) open their arms and welcome us, and we have the support of the Catholic church almost everywhere we go. And I that think we must come to the place where we keep our eyes on Jesus Christ, and not on what denomination or what church or what group we belong to."

***

David Frost (discussing Islam): "The fastest growing religion in the world.... "

Billy Graham: "The tremendous discipline that they have in Islam in the sense that there's a judgment if you do wrong, and there's a tremendous hunt that people have that you are Islamic. Suppose you die on the battlefield fighting for Islam, the promises they give you for the first thousand years would make any young man say, 'Well, I think that's what I'd like to have.' They have so many things. And I think Islam is misunderstood too, because Mohammed had a great respect for Jesus, and he called Jesus the greatest of the prophets except himself. And I think that we're closer to Islam than we really think we are."

***

Billy Graham: "I felt that God had called me to love all the people, whatever church they went to, whether it was Catholic or Protestant or who, and work with them. And today we have almost a hundred percent Catholic support in this country, that was not true even twenty years ago. And the bishops and the archbishops and the Pope is our friend. We have plans underway now for a couple of events that will probably be world news about our relationship with the Roman Catholic Church because there's so much that we have in common, and so much of what we believe......They believe in Christ. They believe in the death of Christ on the cross and his resurrection. "

***

Below are additional quotes from Billy Graham that are not contained in this interview, but which also paint a troubling picture of what Billy Graham believed. Obviously, as Christians we want to put the best possible construction on Graham's words and teaching. For myself, I think maybe one misstatement by itself wouldn't be that troubling, but with Graham, it's become sort of a cumulative thing. These transcribed audio clips, taken together, are concerning in that they challenge the very heart of the Christian gospel message, and that is the exclusivity of Christ in salvation.  I'll close this post with another partially transcribed interview between Robert Schuller and Billy Graham (and about which John MacArthur has also commented):

Dr. Schuller: "Tell me, what is the future of Christianity?" 

Dr. Graham: "Well, Christianity and being a true believer, you know, I think there's the body of Christ which comes from all the Christian groups around the world, or outside the Christian groups. I think that everybody that loves Christ or knows Christ, whether they're conscious of it or not, they're members of the body of Christ. And I don't think that we're going to see a great sweeping revival that will turn the whole world to Christ at any time." 

What God is doing today is calling people out of the world for His name. Whether they come from the Muslim world, or the Buddhist world, or the Christian world, or the non-believing world, they are members of the body of Christ because they've been called by God. They may not even know the name of Jesus, but they know in their hearts they need something that they don't have and they turn to the only light they have and I think they're saved and they're going to be with us in heaven." 

Dr. Schuller: "What I hear you saying is that it's possible for Jesus Christ to come into a human heart and soul and life even if they've been born in darkness and have never had exposure to the Bible. Is that a correct interpretation of what you're saying?" 

Dr. Graham: "Yes it is because I believe that. I've met people in various parts of the world in tribal situations that they have never seen a Bible or heard about a Bible, have never heard of Jesus but they've believed in their hearts that there is a God and they tried to live a life that was quite apart from the surrounding community in which they lived." 

Dr. Schuller: "This is fantastic. I'm so thrilled to hear you say that. There's a wideness in God's mercy." 

Dr. Graham: "There is. There definitely is."

 Additional Resources 

John MacArthur Discussing Billy Graham's "Wider Mercy" View

Doctrinal Errors With the "Wider Mercy" Doctrine