In 1678, Roman Catholic scholars Richard Simon and Dr. Alexander Geddes attacked Protestant teaching by calling the Flood, the virgin birth, and the resurrection myths. Higher criticism and German rationalism have destroyed fundamental beliefs in Biblical truths and, unfortunately, scholars of the reformed churches have accepted these teachings.

In 1854, Pope Pius IX proclaimed the immaculate conception of Mary, thus laying the foundation for Mary veneration. Pope Pius IX also issued The Syllabus of Errors in 1864, an encyclical condemning liberal theology, the separation of church and state, and the distribution of the Bible.

In 1868, the Pope called the Vatican I Council. The key dogma arising from this council was papal infallibility, confirmed in July 1870.

Halting the Reformation

Martin Luther, John Calvin, John Knox, John Wesley, and other reformers were ordained by God to do a great work. Unfortunately, the Church that arose after them was not willing to continue the search for lost truths. Denominations became wary of including truths found by others into their creeds. But in the 1800s Pastor John Robinson had this to say to his congregation:

If God reveal anything to you by any other instrument of his, be as ready to receive it as you were to receive any truth from my ministry; for I am verily persuaded the Lord hath more truth and light yet to break forth from his holy word...The Lutherans cannot be drawn to go beyond what Luther saw; whatever part of his will our God has revealed to Calvin, [Lutherans] will rather die than embrace it; and the Calvinists, you see, stick fast where they were left by that great man of God, who yet saw not all things. This is a misery much to be lamented; for though they were burning and shining lights in their time, yet they penetrated not into the whole counsel of God, but, were they now living, they would be as ready and willing to embrace further light as that which they first received.^iv

The consistent rejection of truth can grieve away the Holy Spirit who leads us into truth (John 16:13). Protestant Churches, by not accepting all the lost truths, began to follow Roman Babylon. For example, almost all Protestants adhere to Sunday worship. Some Protestants even preach purgatory and practice infant baptism.

What is needed today is to finish the Reformation, which reached its apex in the sixteenth century through the ministry of Luther, Calvin and Knox.^v

Ahead to The Vatican II Council

i. As quoted in Bibliotheca sacra, Volume 13 (Dallas Theological Seminary, 1856): 299.
ii. As quoted on the New Reformation Ministries website.