The Pope

Pope Francis I, the latest head of the Roman Catholic Church, went on record recently saying that the Big Bang theory is correct. He is also accommodating on homosexuality. How are we to react to this man and his claims? Should we have respect for him and call him “His Holiness” as many people do? Should we rely on his interpretation of the Bible as being authentic? No. This man is a false teacher who has nothing but contempt for the Bible as God has revealed it to us. Although we are made holy by the grace and Holy Spirit of God and are called to be such, the Pope is not holy but is a sinful man like us.  This being the case, how did such a man become head of the largest church in the world? The Roman Catholic Church believes that the Pope’s office originated with Peter who was the first pontiff. They base this on Jesus’ words ”  And I say also unto thee that thou art Peter and upon this rock I will build my church and the gates of Hell shall not prevail against it”(Matthew 16:18). This text, though, refers not to Peter himself, but to his confession “thou art the Christ, the son of the living God”(Matthew 16:16). The church stands or falls on this confession that not only Peter, but all of us as God’s children make. We are living in the end times and of the signs that the world is ending is given in Matthew 24: 11: “And many false prophets shall rise and deceive many”. While this pope is not the Antichrist, he is a type of him. “Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists, whereby we know that it is the last time”(I John 2:18). The Pope’s interpretation of the Bible cannot be trusted because he brings his own word, not God’s. “As we said before, so say I now again, if any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed”(Galatians 1:9). When we know how to evaluate what the Roman Catholic and other churches teach, we will know how to apply the word of God to their doctrines. This will enable us to steer clear of teachings that are contrary to the Bible. May God give us the grace to do this!

Kevin Rau