Give Us A…Pope!

Written By Christopher Mentzer

This month the world waited anxiously as hundreds of Cardinals gathered in a Conclave to elect the new Pope. In the meantime, I’ve checked the scriptures to find the word Pope and still haven’t found it. Nor have I found the word ‘Cardinal’ or ‘Conclave’. The Pope is also referred to as the ‘Vicar of Christ’. Vicar comes from the word vicarious meaning ‘Substitute’ (AHD). So he is the substitute for Christ. And that reminds me of what Jesus said in Matt. 24: 4-5, “Take heed that no man lead you astray. 5. For many shall come in my name, saying, I am the Christ; and shall lead many astray.” And again in verses 23-25, “Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is the Christ, or, Here; believe `it' not. 24. For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall show great signs and wonders; so as to lead astray, if possible, even the elect. 25. Behold, I have told you beforehand.”

The apostle Paul gives a similar warning in 2 Thess. 2: 3-5, “let no man beguile you in any wise: for `it will not be,' except the falling away come first, and the man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition, 4. he that opposeth and exalteth himself against all that is called God or that is worshipped; so that he sitteth in the temple of God, setting himself forth as God. 5. Remember ye not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things?”

With these kinds of warnings in the Bible, don’t you think that this type of individual called the Pope would be avoided? If the Bible was read, yes! Then again, the Israelites had the Law and yet they were not content with the Judges. They wanted a King over them. In 1 Samuel 8: 6-7, “But the thing displeased Samuel, when they said, Give us a king to judge us. And Samuel prayed unto Jehovah. 7. And Jehovah said unto Samuel, Hearken unto the voice of the people in all that they say unto thee; for they have not rejected thee, but they have rejected me, that I should not be king over them.” They rejected God as their king and demanded a human for their leader. Just like the Roman Catholics have rejected the Son of God and demanded a human as a substitute.

But Jesus condemned the use of titles in Matt. 23. He said, “And call no man your father on the earth: for one is your Father, `even' he who is in heaven.” (Verse 9) Another name for Pope is ‘The Holy Father’.

So then how does someone like a Pope get elected? How is it that these men are called: Cardinals, Bishops, Priests, etc.? Jesus gave us the answer almost 2000 years ago. He said in Matt. 15: 8-9, “This people honoreth me with their lips; But their heart is far from me. 9. But in vain do they worship me, Teaching `as their' doctrines the precepts of men.” However it was said before Jesus said it, for he was quoting the prophet Isaiah (verse 7; Isa. 29:13).

The apostle Paul wrote of a similar thing to the church in Corinth, “Now these things, brethren, I have in a figure transferred to myself and Apollos for your sakes; that in us ye might learn not `to go' beyond the things which are written; that no one of you be puffed up for the one against the other.” (1 Cor. 4:6)

The newly elected man has chosen the name Benedict for his official Pope title. It reminds me of Benedict Arnold, the man who turned his back on America when he aided the British. The Pope is one who has turned his back on God, doing what men and tradition want and not what the scriptures say.