HONORING THE POPE
For the last several days, the news media has given a great deal of coverage to the death of the pope and the appointment of his successor. Most have speculated who will be elected and how different he might be from the current pope. The possibility that he might be different and make some changes is very telling. Why? If the man were actually of God, he could not change any vital doctrines. With God there is no change, no variableness (James 1:17). “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever” (Heb. 13:8). He does not change either His doctrine or His morality based on culture or century. Paul said that he taught the same things in all the churches (1 Cor. 4:17). So, if people who think the pope is Christ’s representative are expecting different doctrines from him at different times, they are tacitly admitting that he is not really from God.
A Catholic woman was being interviewed concerning the possibility of change coming with the next pope. She said, “If the Holy Spirit tells him to allow for greater freedom in the Catholic Church (such as allowing women to be priests), then I’m all for it.” First of all, the Holy Spirit communicates with the pope the same way He does with all of us—through the Word that He inspired. Second, The Holy Spirit will not contradict what He revealed in the New Testament. The very presumption that God could change His mind on any teaching is faulty and bespeaks either a low view of Deity or a massive ignorance of the Bible. God did not make up some doctrines at the last minute, with the idea of seeing how they would work out.
Jesus Christ was slain before the foundation of the world (Rev. 13:8); God plans ahead. Because of His omniscience, God had in readiness the plan of redemption at the very moment man sinned (Gen. 3:15). God could preach the Gospel to Abraham 2,000 years in advance (Gal. 3:16). Prophecies of the church—the kingdom and body of Christ—were given from 1,000 to 600 years in advance (2 Sam. 7:12-16, Isa. 2:1-4; Dan 2:44-45). God is not surprised at what happens; He does not need to revise His plans. He does not reverse Himself on morality; homosexuality is no more right in the twenty-first century A.D. than it was in the twenty-first century B.C. in Sodom (Jude 7). God’s teaching on the role of women in the home and in the church is based on the very beginning of man’s existence (I Timothy 2:8-15). Neither He nor any so-called representative of His is going to change it.
Jesus never appointed any man to be head over His church on earth. Paul writes that Jesus is the Head of His body, the church (Eph. 1:22-23; Col. 1:18). In fact, He stated clearly, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth” (Matt. 28:18). Human beings, however, are seldom satisfied with God’s arrangement. In the Old Testament, they wanted a king and were not satisfied with God reigning over them (Judges 8:23; 1 Sam. 8). Today, some are not satisfied with Jesus reigning over the church; they want a human being instead, but God has never authorized one.
Even our President, who has spoken many good things, said of the pope: “A good and faithful servant has been called home.” He is wrong on this point. No one who claims to be Christ’s representative on earth—usurping a position that Heaven has not granted him—is even a servant of Christ, let alone a faithful one. In fact, each pope perpetuates one of the most deceptive religions ever known to man. He encourages people to believe that he is Peter’s successor, concerning which the New Testament is silent. Each pope, regardless of whatever good things he might accomplish, is a participant in a lie which is of the devil (John 8:44). Christ did not appoint him, he is not head over Christ’s church, and he in no way speaks for the Lord. When he claims to do so, he is in error, and those who listen to him are therefore also in error (1 Tim. 4:16). A faithful minister teaches and preaches Christ, not himself.
But, since Catholics subscribe to this doctrine, then how is it that they do not listen to what the pope says? Understandably, those who are not Catholic feel no obligation to listen to the pope on any matter. Especially is he rejected among Christians who know the Word of God. But how can Catholics refuse to listen to their “leader”? They do not have to be Catholic; but if they choose to be, are they not bound to follow the teachings of the one they fancy is Christ’s representative? So how is it that so many Catholics practice whatever they please when they disagree with the pope? Many disagree with him on birth control; in fact, it is estimated that a large percentage of Catholics practice it.
Although most Catholics agree with the pope on the subject of abortion, not all do. A part-time English com-position teacher (with whom this writer shared an office) mentioned the hypocrisy of Irish Catholic girls who went to England to obtain abortions, since they were illegal in Ireland at that time (he was from there and knew of several instances in which young women did so).
Even more amazing are the Catholic politicians like Ted Kennedy who continually and zealously advocate the pro-abortion position and are repeatedly elected by a predominant Catholic constituency!
Now, when the pope died, there were countless individuals who wanted to get a glimpse of him. Many stood for hours; presumably such intense determination was prompted by a spirit of reverence. But what good does it do to show honor to someone when he is dead if his word was not obeyed when he was alive? Is it possible to love someone and ignore his teaching at the same time? Jesus did not think so: “But why do you call Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not the things which I say?” (Luke 6:46).
Theodore McCarrick, the Catholic Archbishop in Washington, D.C., conducted a “mass” (not Biblical terminology) on the pope’s behalf at St. Matthew’s Cathedral. This event was attended by Senator Ted Kennedy, who has been called “patriarch of the most famous U.S. Roman Catholic family”—and has for many years been consistently pro-abortion. According to Crisis Magazine:
As late as 1971, Kennedy wrote, “Human life, even at its earliest stages, has a certain right which must be recognized—the right to be born, the right to love, the right to grow old” [http://www.crisis maga-zine.com/may2003/feature1.htm]
This same source says that the senator changed his mind soon after Roe v. Wade (January, 1973). Since that time Kennedy has “gone so far as to support federal funding of abortions.” When legislation was introduced in 2003 to ban partial birth abortion—one of the most heinous acts imaginable—all Republicans (except one, who did not vote) and many Democrats voted in favor of it. Those Democrats supporting the ban included Joe Lieberman, Robert Byrd, and Joe Biden. But Ted Kennedy and John Kerry (both professed Catholics) voted against it.
How can anyone call himself a Catholic and vote in favor of partial-birth abortion—something that the leader of their religion has condemned? How is it possible that Kennedy could so dishonor the pope in life and then show up to honor him in his death? The Catholics of Massachusetts obviously do not take seriously the teachings of the Catholic Church, either, or they would not keep electing someone who has defied their pro-life theology (which happens to be correct) for three decades. Their honoring of the pope is hollow—they do not believe in him any more than non-Catholics do, as evidenced by their actions.
Profession is one thing; behavior is another. Many people profess to be Christians, but they do not follow what Christ said. Many want to be Christians, but live outside of marriage with another (fornication). Many are trying to be practicing homosexuals, calling themselves Christians. It cannot be done. This point was illustrated by the preacher who asked his students, “How many legs does a cow have?” They answered, “Four.” “What if we call the tail a leg? Then how many legs does the cow have?” “Five!“ they shouted in unison. “Wrong,” he replied. “Just because we call the tail a leg doesn’t make it one. The cow still only has four legs.”
The same thing is true of the Word of God. You can call any sin a virtue, but that does not change a thing. Why would the Catholic Church tolerate someone like Ted Kennedy, who flagrantly and openly votes against the pope’s position on abortion? Could it be—money? If we ever elect a brother in Christ to the Senate who votes against what the Bible teaches, we had better pray that the church withdraw fellowship from him for doing so—regardless of how much money and influence he has.
And we need to avoid hypocrisy ourselves. What Jesus forbids we must reject and not practice. What our Lord enjoins, that must we do. Anything else would be hypocrisy.