In an unsurprising move of apostasy, the Roman Catholic Church, which has completely abandoned the Scriptures in favor of Papal authority, is now allowing “transgender” people to find refuge within its walls. This startling development echoes the fall of mainstream Protestant denominations that have long since taken a 180-degree turn from anything resembling Christianity, indulging in the carnality of culture rather than the truth of the Bible.

In an era where the boundaries of biblical morality are being relentlessly tested, these religious institutions have completely failed the test of faithfulness. The Vatican’s new pastoral guidelines that extend a welcoming hand to sexually immoral people, calling for respect and recognition, are a slap in the face to the Scripture’s clear teachings on gender and sexuality. This is not mere accommodation—it is a full-throated embrace of a secular creed that has infiltrated the Church, even the Roman Catholic Church, under the guise of compassion.

The document from the Vatican, dated July 14, 2023 but made public yesterday, is an official response to inquiries by Monsignor José Negri, Bishop of Santo Amaro in Brazil, regarding the participation in the sacraments of baptism and marriage by “transgender” people and those in same-sex relationships.

The document outlines new doctrine for the church, including that “A transgender person—even one who has undergone hormonal treatment and sex reassignment surgery—can be baptized under the same conditions as other faithful.” In addition, “transgender” parents can baptize their children, they can appear as witnesses at weddings, and they can be godparents, according to Catholic tradition.

Cohabiting homosexuals, too, can now be godparents. “According to canon law, to be a godparent,” the document reads, “one must have the aptitude and lead a life conforming to the faith and the responsibility they are undertaking. If the cohabitation of two same-sex individuals constitutes a stable and declared relationship known to the community, it differs from a simple cohabitation.”

It continues, answering the question if co-habiting homosexuals can be a witness at a wedding. “There is nothing in the current universal canonical legislation that prohibits a person in a same-sex relationship and cohabiting from being a witness at a marriage.”

Wow. This is bad, even for a church that rejects the true gospel. Historically, the Roman Catholic Church has at least been strong on social and moral issues, whether it be homosexuality, abortion, or anything else. This seismic shift in recent decades is a drastic change. But what should we expect?

The heart of the gospel—which the Roman Catholic Church along with the majority of Protestant denominations is completely devoid of—is transformative, redemptive, and unequivocally committed to the truth. Yet, beginning many centuries before the Reformation, the Roman Catholic Church has increasingly turned its back on this heart, and in recent years, opting instead for a version of Christianity that is palatable to modern cultural sensibilities. It’s a counterfeit Christianity that seeks the approval of the world rather than the approval of God.

Mainline Protestant denominations have walked this path before, endorsing same-sex marriage, ordaining LGBTQ clergy, and rewriting the core tenets of the faith to suit the narrative of the day. They’ve abandoned the foundation of the Scriptures for the quicksand of social acceptability. In doing so, they’ve traded their birthright for a mess of pottage that promises inclusivity but delivers only spiritual poison.

The Roman Catholic Church’s current trajectory stands as a glaring example of how the leaven of liberal theology can leaven the whole lump. It showcases a troubling pattern where the authority of Church tradition, in this case, the edicts of the Papacy, supersedes the clear and authoritative Word of God.

The acquiescence of the Roman Catholic Church to the spirit of the age is a sobering reminder of the need for a staunch commitment to Scriptural authority. Where the Roman Catholic Church and liberal Protestant denominations have stumbled, the true church must stand firm, uncompromising in its proclamation of the Gospel, as it faces a world that is ever-shifting away from the foundation that Christ set forth through His revelation of Himself to mankind.