On October 26, 2013, USA Today published an opinion piece advocating closer relations between the United States and Vatican. This should ring prophetic bells for every student of prophecy, especially as they read Revelation 13 in light of this.
The past few years have seen cordial but cooling relations between the United States and the Vatican. Since President Obama took office, he has visited the Vatican just once, and the administration has demonstrated little more than a perfunctory interest in the Holy See's diplomatic role in the world. This is a lost opportunity at a critical time for America. U.S. foreign policy has much to gain from its relationship with the Holy See, the governing body of the Catholic Church. No institution on earth has both the international stature and the global reach of the Holy See the "soft power" of moral influence and authority to promote religious freedom, human liberties, and related values that Americans and our allies uphold worldwide.
President Reagan established full diplomatic relations with the Holy See in 1984 because, among other reasons, he realized that he could have no better partner than Pope John Paul II in the fight against communism -- and he was right. The administration of George W. Bush continued to expand these relations, even in difficult times while engaged in a conflict in Iraq of which the Holy See had strongly and vocally disapproved. Before President Obama's recent appointment of Ken Hackett as the next U.S. ambassador to the Holy See, there was growing speculation that the administration was considering completely eliminating the diplomatic mission, or reducing it to an appendage of the Embassy in Rome. While the Obama administration has been in conflict with the Catholic Church on a range of issues from abortion to contraception, it is clearly in America's national interests to strengthen diplomatic ties with the Holy See to advance our interests around the world.
The United States and the Holy See remain two of the most significant institutions in world history, one a beacon of democracy and progress, the other a sanctum of faith and allegiance to timeless principles. Despite these differences between the first modern democracy and the longest surviving Western monarchy, both were founded on the idea that "human persons" possess inalienable natural rights granted by God. This had been a revolutionary concept when the Catholic Church embraced it 2,000 years ago, and was equally revolutionary when the Declaration of Independence stated it 1,800 years later.
The Church is one of the leading advocates and providers for the poor in the world, fights against the scourge of human trafficking, and advances the cause of human dignity and rights more than any other organization in the world. The Holy See also plays a significant role in pursuing diplomatic solutions to international predicaments. In 2007, for example, the Holy See helped secure the release of several British sailors who had been picked up by the Iranian navy. Its long-standing bilateral relations with Iran and the lack of such relations by the British and other western governments created an opportunity for successful intervention.
And more recently, the Holy See issued its diplomatic note concerning the civil war in Syria, calling for a "concept of citizenship" in which everyone is a citizen with equal dignity. It is urging the commissions which are working on a possible future constitution and laws to ensure that Christians and representatives of all other minorities be involved. This immediately helped place a spotlight on the plight of Christians and the ongoing exodus of all non-Muslims from most Middle East countries for the last 30 years. The power and influence of the Holy See is often underestimated. A benevolent monarchy tucked into a corner of a modern democracy, the Holy See is at once a universally recognized sovereign representing more than a billion people (one-seventh of the world's population) -- and the civil government of the smallest nation-state on earth. It has no military and only a negligible economy, but it has greater reach and influence than most nations. It's not simply the number or variety of people that the Holy See represents that gives it relevance; it's also the moral influence of the Church, which is still considerable despite secularization and scandals.
The Holy See advocates powerfully for morality in the lives of both Catholics and non-Catholics, and in both individuals and nations. One may disagree with some of the Church's positions and yet still recognize the value -- the real and practical value -- of its insistence that "right" should precede "might" in world affairs. At its core, the Catholic Church is a powerful and unique source of non-coercive "soft power" on the world stage -- it moves people to do the right thing by appealing to ideals and shared values, rather than to fear and brute force. America's foreign policy is much more likely to succeed with the support of the Holy See.
Iranian President Hassan Rouhani recently gave a nod to this soft power in his Washington Post op-ed when he decried the "framework that has emphasized hard power and the use of brute force." One can speculate on the motivations and intentions of such an unlikely source, but at least there is an admission of the importance of diplomatic alternatives which are based on persuasive fundamental principles.
No two sovereigns are more naturally aligned than the United States and the Holy See in the pursuit of diplomacy founded on the core moral principles of the inalienable rights of man, his essential God-granted human dignity, and the right of all to religious freedom. This is rightly called the "first freedom" because our other freedoms seldom flourish in its absence.
Francis Rooney served as U.S. Ambassador to the Holy See under George W. Bush from 2005 to 2008, and is author of the new book, The Global Vatican.
Here is opportunity. If we as SDA's catalog what God says, history, archaeology, history, current events, and Protestant and Catholic institutions say from their own documents, and lay them side by side in an intelligent manner, getting the attention and interest of the viewers, giving the sense and the understanding once the viewers interest shows it is time to explain, because God has awakened them to intelligently listen ................. cold iron will now become hot enough to be worked with.
To prepare for these opportunities we must examine ourselves by comparison with Scripture & SOP's declarations and pictures of Jesus Christ; doubleminded-ness must leave and be replaced with what Christ alone wants in us................................. so that we will be made by Him into people He can work with on His terms instead of our trying to use His power on our terms.
Some of us who wanted a big wide work He will reassign into a work that He sees as a right size and scope for us to do just what He wants as a perfected smaller work like small ball bearings or oil reservoir or oil pump in an engine, instead of a big engine block or piston. But we will be doing our assigned part perfectly in His sight and in His mistake free hands. Some who are now little but have a large history of single minded single hearted fidelity, He will prepare for an exalted wider deeper broader work.
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It is not the length of time we labor but our willingness and fidelity in the work that makes it acceptable to God. In all our service a full surrender of self is demanded. The smallest duty done in sincerity and self-forgetfulness is more pleasing to God than the greatest work when marred with self-seeking. He looks to see how much of the spirit of Christ we cherish, and how much of the likeness of Christ our work reveals. He regards more the love and faithfulness with which we work than the amount we do. {COL 402.3}
Only when selfishness is dead, when strife for supremacy is banished, when gratitude fills the heart, and love makes fragrant the life--it is only then that Christ is abiding in the soul, and we are recognized as laborers together with God. {COL 402.4}
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Quote " Light is a blessing, a universal blessing, pouring forth its treasures on a world unthankful, unholy, demoralized. So it is with the light of the Sun of Righteousness. The whole earth, wrapped as it is in the darkness of sin, and sorrow, and pain, is to be lighted with the knowledge of God's love. From no sect, rank, or class of people is the light shining from heaven's throne to be excluded. {COL 418.3}
The message of hope and mercy is to be carried to the ends of the earth. Whosoever will, may reach forth and take hold of God's strength and make peace with Him, and he shall make peace. No longer are the heathen to be wrapped in midnight darkness. The gloom is to disappear before the bright beams of the Sun of Righteousness. The power of hell has been overcome. {COL 418.4}
But no man can impart that which he himself has not received. In the work of God, humanity can originate nothing. No man can by his own effort make himself a light bearer for God. It was the golden oil emptied by the heavenly messengers into the golden tubes, to be conducted from the golden bowl into the lamps of the sanctuary, that produced a continuous bright and shining light. It is the love of God continually transferred to man that enables him to impart light. Into the hearts of all who are united to God by faith the golden oil of love flows freely, to shine out again in good works, in real, heartfelt service for God. {COL 418.5}
In the great and measureless gift of the Holy Spirit are contained all of heaven's resources. It is not because of any restriction on the part of God that the riches of His grace do not flow earthward to men. If all were willing to receive, all would become filled with His Spirit. {COL 419.1}
It is the privilege of every soul to be a living channel through which God can communicate to the world the treasures of His grace, the unsearchable riches of Christ. There is nothing that Christ desires so much as agents who will represent to the world His Spirit and character. There is nothing that the world needs so much as the manifestation through humanity of the Saviour's love. All heaven is waiting for channels through which can be poured the holy oil to be a joy and blessing to human hearts. {COL 419.2}
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God will take hard headed hard hearted stones and cut, grind, and polish them till He makes something He can use as long as they discipline and educate themselves to remain single minded single hearted to God.
