Pope falsely claims that Catholicism is the only true path to salvation

“Pope Benedict XVI reasserted the primacy of the Roman Catholic Church, approving a document released Tuesday (July 10, 2007) that says other Christian communities is either defective or not true churches and Catholicism provides the only true path to salvation.”

I am not supportive of the Ecumenical Movement and the “melting pot religion” theory that the World Council of Churches promotes (the ideology that we are all God’s children and that we can just all worship God in our own special way that works for each individual). If that was the case then we wouldn’t need specific instructions from God, i.e., the Bible. I would love to worship God with the whole world, but the Bible is explicit about salvation and the foundational truths of Christianity.

The Christian Church should be outraged and should speak out against this sacrilegious comment, and preachers should demand a retraction from the pope. The pope is basically saying that the Christians are just wasting their time and deceiving people. Over one billion people (Catholics) are following a man and an institution that believes such a blatant lie against the Blood of Jesus and the salvation that ONLY HE CAN PROVIDE (Acts 4:10-12). Well surely over one billion people can’t be wrong. Can they? If the majority or a lot of people are doing it then it must be right. Correct? No it isn't. Was the majority correct who told Christopher Columbus that the earth is flat? Long before Columbus, the Prophet Isaiah spoke about a spherical earth circa 700 B.C. (Isaiah 40:22). But the majority said that Columbus was crazy; they said that he was going to fall off of the face of the earth. But we now know that Isaiah and Columbus were correct. Numbers of people mean nothing, only the words of the inerrant Word of God matters. Just because an influential person or a large group of people declare something, that doesn’t mean that it is the truth.

Human nature, deception and Scriptural ignorance are partly the cause of why many people will probably believe this lie that the pope is espousing. There is no Scripture that supports his comment. In fact, multiple Scriptures are diametrically opposed to it. But where are the strong Christian leaders that should be speaking out concerning this matter? Where are the John the Baptist-like preachers of this day? Where is the modern day Jesus preacher? Today’s Apostle Paul? The preachers that will stand flatfooted on the Word of God and proclaim, “Herod, it is unlawful for you to have your brother’s wife!” Where is the kind of intestinal fortitude that will cause a man to speak the truth with the entire world against Him? The religious people in Jesus’ time threatened to throw Him off of the brow of the hill and he walked calmly out of their midst (Luke 4:28-30). Where is that boldness and commanding presence? We saw that boldness in the book of Acts 4:13, 29 and 31. Where is that preacher that has the confidence to cry aloud and spare not (Isaiah 58:1)?

Christians must be more vocal on things other than the abortion issue. I believe that we should fight for the life of the unborn, but it seems as though it’s the only topic about which most Christians will truly get passionate. Well, that’s not enough! We have been given the tremendous honor and responsibility of being “the salt of the earth and the light of the world” (Matthew 5:13-14). Salt is a preservative and light dispels darkness. The Church is also known as “the pillar and ground of the truth” (1 Timothy 3:15). Is the Church preserving the standard of truth, right, truth and freedom? Look at the real world; look at the laws that are being passed in the governments of the world. The Church has quit being the influential voice of Heaven on earth like the Church use to be. We now have politicians and religious leaders that live and work in hallowed halls made of marble and glass, while poverty, murder, immorality, divorce, et cetera are steadily on the rise worldwide. Why would unbelievers want to join the Church? How are we representing the Kingdom of God? God is awesome all by Himself, but we are His ambassadors on the earth. Many times, how people see us is how they see God. From my own personal experience of needing God in my life, I was truly turned off for years about accepting Christ because of the Christians I saw. But I hit such a low point in my life that I emotionally and spiritually had no choice but to forget those people, and accept God’s peace. My point is that we must stand for the truth and represent God at all times, and at every place; speak up, defend the faith and have a lifestyle to match.

Scriptural Things to Consider

• Nowhere in Scripture is a pope or a monsignor mentioned.
• All Christians are mentioned as saints (1 Corinthians 1:2, 2 Corinthians 13:13); it isn’t some unattainable goal or status for the select few within the Church after death. The Church of Jesus Christ is the saints.
• The believers of God, after Jesus ascended to Heaven, were “called Christians first in Antioch” (Acts 11:26). There was never a mention of Catholics or Catholicism.
• Confessing your sins to an earthly priest is not Scriptural. But we are instructed to confess our sins to our Heavenly High Priest (1 John 1:9) who saves to the uttermost (Hebrews 7:25). The Church is also called a royal priesthood (1 Peter 2:9). “We have been made kings and priests unto God” (Revelation 1:6)
• Mary, the mother of Jesus, was said to be blessed among women, not above them (Luke 1:28). There is no need no to worship or specially honor her like we do God. We are only commanded to worship God. (John 4:23-24, Revelation 19:10, Revelation 22:9). Mary commanded the servants at the wedding in Cana, “whatever He (Jesus) tells you to do, do it” (John 2:5).
• Salvation doesn’t come from an institution; it comes from Jesus (John 14:6). It doesn’t come thru Mary, Peter, and it doesn’t even come directly from God. God ONLY manifested His salvation, grace and truth through Jesus (John 1:14).
• Jesus told Peter that upon his confession of faith in Him, that Jesus would build His Church (Matthew 16:13-18).
• All of the Old Testament prophets foretold of Jesus’ coming and His salvation and deliverance. Father God spoke from Heaven (Mark 1:11), confirmed and anointed Jesus with the Holy Ghost and power (Acts 10:38). Jesus pointed people ONLY to Himself (Mark 1:17, John 14:6, Matthew 11:25-30). The Holy Spirit only testifies of (John 15:26), bears witness with and glorifies Jesus (John 16:14).
• The Apostles ONLY were witnesses for Jesus Christ, not a religious institution or a man other than Jesus Christ (Acts 4:10-12, Acts 10:43). This isn’t to say that the parishioners of the Catholic Church are bad people. I believe that there are some very sincere people who accept Christ for salvation in the Catholic Church, but they are ignorant of Scripture in other respects. But we as Christians can’t compromise the truth and think that everything is fine. We can be tactful in our defense of the faith, and build bridges instead of walls. But we can’t ignore comments such as the pope’s recent lie.
• From a historical standpoint, the Protestant Reformation and the 95 Thesis of Martin Luther confirmed the philosophical, foundational and Scriptural differences between Catholicism (a man-made religious institution) and Christianity (God Almighty and His children).
  

In conclusion, not even the Christian Church can save you; not good works; not going to church and praying; not being baptized or reading the Bible; not being a good person, and certainly not because your parents are Christians, because God doesn’t have grandchildren, only children. Please read God’s Word for yourself and see what He said concerning salvation. Quite simply Romans 10:9-10, 13 says it as succinctly as possible: If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is your Lord and if you believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead for you, then you will instantly be saved. Your heart felt faith makes you right with God, but your mouth confession immediately seals the deal. Whoever calls on the name of the Lord will be instantly born (spiritually) again or saved-- BG Street Version. Live well!